Shaping the Future
by CharmedArtist
Summary: In a darker future, the Order pitches one last battle at Hogwarts. Defeated, Harry Potter is defenseless against Voldemort's death blow... that somehow throws him into the past. (Snarry slash and evil!Dumbledore. You have been warned!)
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE:

"Take a look around you, Potter," a voice whispered close to Harry's ear, and he shuddered at the way the sibilant voice caressed the words, a satisfied note underscoring the fact that Harry was helpless. His shield had weakened until his opponent's overpowered Petrificus Totalus had been able to shatter it and strike him, leaving him unable to move in the middle of the battlefield and at the mercy of his mortal enemy.

Unable to move anything but his eyes, Harry was forced to take in the view that faced him – that of the destroyed Hogwarts grounds, and of the people he had failed. A cold hand gripped at his heart when he spotted red hair, the head severed from the body, Ron's empty eyes staring in his direction. Next to him lay a girl with bushy hair, tears leaking from her eyes as she stared at the severed head of her lover, and by the huge diagonal gash along her torso Harry knew that she would not be alive much longer.

It was the worst sort of torture, he decided, to see his closest friends dead and dying and being unable to react in any way – he wanted to scream, to cry, to run to them and heal Hermione although he knew it was too late, to kill the people who had done this to them, to close his eyes and shut out the sight. And yet, bound by the Petrificus Totalus, he was unable to do anything but avert his eyes, finding other horrors waiting for him.

Tonks, two werewolves feasting on her flesh where she had fallen beside Remus, who was almost unrecognizable due to all the scratches the enemy werewolves had inflicted on him. Hagrid, who was roaring at the group of Death Eaters surrounding him – and Harry wondered how he had managed to survive that long with only a broken wand to defend himself with –the crumpled bodies of several Hogwarts students at his feet.

Harry's eyes moved towards the castle, a sinking feeling in his gut as he realized that their last stronghold would now be under Voldemort's control, that they had failed to protect the students. The Order had vowed that no matter what came, the students would remain safe – and that promise too had been broken, as so many others before it. He had lost count of the people he had failed, of the deaths that weighed on his conscience, of the injuries others had suffered because of him, and he wondered whether he shouldn't have handed himself in years before, giving the rule of Britain over to Voldemort but sparing countless lives. Now Voldemort would rule anyway, and so many had died, so for what had he fought?

With near poetic timing Voldemort moved into his line of sight, drinking in Harry's hopeless expression with visible glee. The sick smile on the reptilian face pulled unpleasantly at the gashes that disfigured his visage, but Harry couldn't summon up any satisfaction at the damage he had managed to inflict on his opponent. It all seemed so pointless now.

"Yesss…" Voldemort hissed, leaning in until his face blocked out the view of anything else. Harry wished he could pull back, but his body wouldn't obey him. "It has taken far too long to put that look of complete despair on your face, but I find the wait was more than worth it," the Dark Lord whispered, one long finger reaching out to caress Harry's cheek. "The Order has fallen," he continued, still talking in that almost gentle tone, "All your friends are dead, and Hogwarts is mine. Tell me, Potter," he leaned closer still, until Harry could feel his breath against his face. "How does it feel, knowing that you were their only hope, and you let them down?"

Anguish washed through him, and he knew that Voldemort had seen it in his eyes, for the man threw back his head and laughed, the sound cutting through the cold November air. In that moment Harry wished more than ever that he could end the bastard's life, break free of the spell that held him captive and kill the sadist with his bare hands if necessary.

He had never managed to do more than very rudimentary wandless magic, however, and the spell held, leaving him incapable of acting as Voldemort's laughter faded to chuckles, the red eyes watching him with mirth.

"I am almost tempted to keep you for a while, Potter," the man spoke, "but we wouldn't want any remaining rebels to get any ideas…" Raising his wand, he sketched a mocking bow. "Goodbye, Harry Potter."

Then a flash of nauseating puce light sped towards him, throwing him backwards with the power of the spell, and the last thing Harry saw was Voldemort's grinning face before everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO:

Harry landed with an impact that knocked all the air out of his lungs, and when he skidded to a stop he stared up at the dark ceiling in incomprehension. He had recognized the spell – Voldemort had begun casting it after his Avada Kedavra had failed to kill Harry for the second time – and it was a terrible curse that slowly dissolved your brain within your skull. He had seen it used often enough to know that it took the victim several agonizing minutes to die, and there was no way that he could have died so swiftly and painlessly.

Frowning, Harry realized that he didn't feel dead at all – he still ached as much as before, and when he raised his left hand he saw that it was still bleeding sluggishly. Staring at it in incomprehension, he eventually realized that wherever he had landed, it wasn't as perfectly silent as he had assumed. Immediately on the tail of that realization came his reactions, honed over the years until his body nearly moved without his volition, and a moment later he was in a crouch facing the front of the hall he was in, wand in hand and eyes scanning the room. What he saw there made him gape, all coherent thoughts forgotten.

"I-" he choked out before his brain caught up and he cut off whatever he was about to say. He was in a room full of enemies, and he knew that not all of them were dead yet. His eyes however were locked on the one person at the front of the hall: For there sat Lord Voldemort in a throne, looking as he had in Harry's fourth year when he was newly resurrected.

Hand trembling, Harry whispered, "Tempus totalus," and his heart nearly stopped when he saw the glowing numbers.

10:34 PM, Friday 23rd February 1996.

Then his brain caught up and a grin spread on his face as he realized that if he was in the past, then that meant that his friends were alive and that there was time to save it all. _But first I have to get out of here alive_, he realized, leaving the grin on his face as he looked up to meet the red gaze of his nemesis, a plan already forming.

"My Lord!" he crowed, letting his triumph flavor his voice as he carefully hid all the fury and despair he felt at the sight of Voldemort. Rising and taking several steps forward, extremely aware of all the wands pointed his way, he knelt before the man and raised his face to look into the white face, his eyes shining.

"Your power knows no bounds, my Lord!" he enthused, knowing by the look on Voldemort's face that he had caught him off balance. _Good._ "I should never have doubted that if any man could perform such a feat, you alone would succeed where others failed, my Lord," he continued, seeing the annoyed confusion in the wizard's face and knowing that he would soon run out of patience.

"But of course, having succeeded in sending me back in time," there were several sharp intakes of breath, and Voldemort's eyes sharpened as he began to understand, "you would no longer know me." Bowing until his head nearly touched the floor, hating the feeling of leaving his back exposed but knowing it was necessary, Harry spoke to the floor. "My name is Harry Potter, my Lord."

A deathly silence fell, and it took everything Harry had not to raise his head but to stay in that vulnerable position. It wasn't as though he could defend himself against the full Inner Circle in his current state anyway, he thought tersely.

"Explain," came the hissed order, and Harry finally raised his head to look Voldemort in the eye once more. It was as he breathed in to speak that he wondered why Voldemort wasn't simply using Legilimency – he had never learned to use Occlumency well enough to block the wizard, and with the state he was in it would be laughably easy to break through his shields. Sending a silent thank you to Lady Luck he began spinning his tale.

"It wasn't until Dumbledore died," he said, spitting out the name, "that I realized that for years I had been drugged and brainwashed." Oh, he remembered it well – the day he had realized that the Headmaster had kept him under compulsion charms and fealty potions since the day he had first met Hagrid. The fealty potions were obvious – to keep him loyal to Dumbledore above everyone else, and lesser potions keyed to Mrs. Weasley, Remus, Professor McGonagall, and even later, a love potion keyed to Ginny. The compulsion charms had been to ensure that he'd dislike all Slytherins, but especially Snape, suppress his more Slytherin tendencies (such as actually thinking before rushing into danger), and keep him from making friends apart from Ron and Hermione. There had also been additional spells including one to keep him from standing up to the Dursleys and a rather complicated one to make him more reckless. When he had found out about everything the Headmaster had done to him he had gone into a rage that had lasted for several days, and it was with no particular surprise that he realized he was shaking just thinking of it.

Taking several deep breaths, Harry forced himself to relax – as much as was possible in the Dark Lord's throne room.

"I apologize for my behavior towards you in those years, my Lord," he said, his voice once more calm and his gaze level. When the spells and potions had faded his Slytherin side had come back with a vengeance, leaving little of the Golden Boy everyone had come to expect. It had saved his life several times since, and he was relying on it to get him through this as well.

"I was not myself in that time," he continued truthfully. "Had Dumbledore," as much as he tried, he couldn't say that name without spitting it, "not meddled, I would have been sorted into Slytherin, where I belonged." It was true, too – he could still remember putting on the Hat and suddenly feeling a strong dislike for Slytherins and their House, when before that moment he hadn't had any strong feelings about any one House. _Voldemort actually has remarkable composure, _Harry thought idly as he took in the impassive face of his nemesis. But Harry had always been able to read the man's emotions in his eyes, just as Voldemort had always been able to read him like an open book. _But that was before Dumbledore died,_ he thought with some satisfaction. Since that moment, Voldemort had only been able to read him when he lost control over his emotions. The red eyes, on the other hand, held emotions that encouraged Harry to continue: An equal mix of disbelief and intrigue.

"As soon as Dumbledore fell, I left Hogwarts to join you, my Lord," Harry said, knowing that the difficult part would be convincing the Dark Lord that he was indeed a faithful Death Eater. _Oh my God, the Dark Mark, _he realized with a start, and let a scowl cross his face.

"Unfortunately, I was unable to take your Mark due to my role," he said, pushing up his left sleeve with jerky movements, "but," and here he smirked, laying his wand on the floor and pushing up the other sleeve to expose a tattoo, "it wasn't out of character for the Golden Boy to get a tattoo of a lion…" Picking up his wand once more, he tapped the tattoo once and its form changed, elongating and morphing until a green and silver snake had replaced the red and gold lion on his wrist. Raising his face, he smirked at the Dark Lord. "In your wisdom," he gagged inwardly at the phrase, "you tied the tattoo not to yourself but to a ring you wore, thus ensuring that you had marked me in a way that no wizard would suspect." _And thus ensuring that this Voldemort doesn't have that tie to me. _

"Then I returned to Hogwarts and began converting the students to your world view, my Lord," he said, forcing a rather feral grin onto his face. Waving his hand negligently, he said, "The Mudblood Granger had to die, of course, and the Blood Traitors in the school I drugged; Severus assisted me with the potions," he inclined his head towards the Potions Master, who met his eyes with an intent gaze. It was then that Harry felt a pressure on his mind, and he forced one thought at his former Professor: _"Not right now; I need to convince him not to kill me."_ A second later he added, _"It is good to see you alive, sir."_ The pressure disappeared and a flash of emotion crossed the Potions Master's face before it was once more blanked of emotion. Harry turned back to Voldemort.

"It was all going well," he said bitterly, remembering times when it had been going well for the Order and not Voldemort, "until we realized that there were traitors in our midst." It was with a sense of great satisfaction that he turned a cold gaze on Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. This could either get him killed or them, and the possibility of the latter was too great to pass up on.

"Malfoy," he spat, "was actively working towards your downfall, my Lord. Surely you have already discovered how he gave the book you had entrusted him with to a Blood Traitor in the hope that Dumbledore would find it and know it for what it was?" To his satisfaction, a hint of fear colored Malfoy's outraged reaction, and Harry negligently waved his wand to silence the man before turning back to Voldemort, a grimly satisfied look on his face.

"And that was before you discovered that he was researching ways to create his own, as well as searching for other such objects," Harry said, keeping his words deliberately vague. He doubted that Voldemort wanted his Death Eaters to know about his Horcruxes, after all.

Shifting his gaze to Bellatrix Lestrange, he let some of the hate he felt for her creep into his voice. "She, on the other hand, was not so much a traitor as absolutely insane." She hissed at him like a cat, and his gaze hardened. "Dear Bellatrix, a top member of the Inner Circle, decided that Muggles and lower class wizards were no longer a big enough challenge. Oh, no," he said, his voice icy cold. "She decided that other members of the Inner Circle would make far better playthings."

Silence gripped the hall once more, and Harry was once more satisfied with a Death Eater's reaction. Bellatrix wasn't good enough at masking her emotions to hide that fact that she had indeed thought about using her fellow Death Eaters as playthings before. He, however, was quite good by now at masking his emotions, and he eyed her coldly as he asked, "Tell me, Lestrange, how often have you considered torturing the Dark Lord's right-hand man to death?"

"I have never considered torturing Lucius," she hissed at him, and he shook his head with a look of disgust.

"Not Malfoy – were you not listening when I named him for the traitor he is? I meant Severus, of course. The most loyal of all the Inner Circle, the most trusted by our Lord, and you played with him for three days before finally killing him." A feral snarl curled his lips. "I ensured that you suffered for twice as long for what you did to him."

Lestrange looked taken aback at his words, and Harry looked to Snape to see that the Potions Master had gone deathly pale. "You were not the only member of the Inner Circle to fall to her, but you were the most wronged. As I have already had the pleasure of killing her once," which was unfortunately not true, "I would be happy to let you at her," he said, a wicked smile on his lips. Then he remembered that he was not the one in charge and looked to Voldemort once more. "If my Lord wills it, of course," he said deferentially, bowing his head.

Voldemort seemed contemplative as he gazed at this stranger. It went against everything he knew to have a Potter kneeling before him, but everything the young man had spoken had rung true. The reactions of both Lucius and Bellatrix couldn't be denied, and if they truly were traitors, then they would need to be disposed of.

"What happened after the traitors were discovered?" he inquired silkily, not knowing that inwardly Harry was crowing in triumph at the question. It seemed Voldemort was believing his tale.

Assuming an angry expression, Harry let his eyes flick over to Malfoy before answering the question, glad that Hermione had told him about body language in detail when he saw that Voldemort's gaze had followed his and the Dark Lord already understood that it was because of Malfoy that something had gone terribly wrong.

"It was too late, My Lord," he said, letting some of the rage and desperation he had felt mere minutes before seep into his voice. "Between him and Lestrange, a large number of Death Eaters had been quietly assassinated, and Malfoy had managed to bring together both the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix against us; we were forced to retreat from Hogwarts entirely and go into hiding." He could see how little that idea appealed to Voldemort by the flare of his slit nostrils and the minute narrowing of his eyes. Harry let his eyes flick over to Malfoy once more and saw that the man was trying to defend himself but was unable to do so as he was still silenced. It was frankly pathetic that the man had never learned to reverse that spell silently, Harry thought, but it worked out well for him in this case.

"Shall we listen to his defense, my Lord? It should prove entertaining," he said, smirking icily at Malfoy.

There was a brief silence before Voldemort spoke, but when he did it was in a tone that chilled the very air. "No need," he spoke coldly. "I have looked into his mind, and what you say rings true." Harry silently sent another thank you to Lady Luck; Malfoy had never been a traitor, but any true Slytherin would have at least one backup plan and Harry had suspected that with his contacts in the Ministry that would be precisely the route Malfoy would have considered. It seemed that Luck was on his side for once.

"May I dispose of him for you, my Lord?" Harry asked, smiling coldly at Malfoy. Oh, how many times he had wished he could kill the man…

A pause, then, "You may."

Harry felt his lips spread into a grin as he rose to his feet, knocking the cane out of Malfoy's hand with a silent Expelliarmus. "Are you even capable of casting silently, Malfoy?" he asked sarcastically as he walked up to the Pure-blood. "I noticed that you were unable to dispel my Silencing charm, and it wasn't even a strong one." He cocked his head as he considered the blonde. "You're really a pathetic excuse of a wizard, you know?" he asked conversationally. "A good Slytherin, though, I'll admit. That's your only redeeming quality," he said pleasantly as he aimed a silent cutting charm at the man's left ear, neatly severing it from his head. The man's mouth opened in a silent scream of pain.

"Well, it's no fun if we can't hear you," Harry said cheerfully as he dispelled the silencing charm, letting Malfoy's whimpers sound through the silent room. Then the man lunged at him, murder in his eyes, and Harry neatly sidestepped the lunge, sending the man crashing to the floor.

"Sloppy," he commented, aiming another cutting charm at the man's right ankle. This time the blonde's howl of pain rang out clearly, and Harry contemplated the fallen man.

"It's somewhat boring to just cut you to pieces, isn't it?" Trying to come up with a fitting death, he remembered with a pang how he had found Susan after Malfoy had gotten his hands on her. Somehow he didn't think he could stomach raping Malfoy to death, but he wanted to avenge the sweet girl he had known.

Humming in contemplation, he looked around and spotted Malfoy's cane. "Ahh," he said in satisfaction. "That should do it…" Summoning the cane, he caught it in one hand and looked at it for a moment. Then, adjusting his hold, he slammed it down on the blonde's back, a feeling of justice filling him when he heard a loud crack and Malfoy's cry of pain.

"This isn't a bad cane," he said conversationally as he brought it down again, grinding the end against the man's broken spine and ignoring the sounds coming from the blonde. "Maybe I should keep it," he added, crushing his victim's wand hand and tuning out the voice in his head saying that he shouldn't be enjoying torture. _He deserves it,_ he thought fiercely, and the voice couldn't deny that. Just remembering Susan's broken body when she had once been so full of life and fire made him wish for a worse death for the blonde.

He paused to change his hold on the cane and swung it like a golf club, bashing the Pure-blood's skull with the silver head of the cane. Immediately blood came gushing out, and Harry gave a contented hum, a small smile curving his lips as he brought the cane down like a club to hit the side of the man's head. He realized that he probably looked rather scary like that, but decided that it was all to the best in the current company. Best that they realize right away that he was not the Golden Boy they were used to.

Lucius Malfoy was probably already dead by that point, but Harry dealt another few crushing blows before deeming himself satisfied and Susan's death avenged. Spitting on the corpse, he informed it, "You didn't deserve to die by magical means, traitor." That done, he threw aside the cane and turned away, walking back to the spot he had previously occupied and sinking back into a kneeling position.

"It is done, my Lord," he said formally, and saw in Voldemort's eyes that he was pleased with the outcome. A traitor had been dealt with, and he had gained a ruthless new ally.

"Tell me, Harry," he said silkily, "Why is it that I sent you back in time?"

Harry heard the unvoiced question – why didn't I send myself? – and assumed a regretful expression. "I am not powerful enough to attempt such a spell, my Lord, and we were unable to find a spell that would send the caster back in time. Knowing that you alone have the power to attempt such a feat, you entrusted to me the success of your campaign. By that time I was the only member of the Inner Circle left, and the only person capable of infiltrating the Light," he sneered at the term, "and so the only person likely to succeed. You will not regret your trust in me, my Lord," Harry said, bowing his head to hide the fact that it was a lie. Looking back up, he met Voldemort's gaze steadily, hoping against hope that it would not occur to the man to use Legilimency.

The silence seemed to stretch interminably before Voldemort finally answered, and Harry wondered irreverently what it was with him and pregnant pauses. "Very well," the man said evenly. "I would have you go with Severus and infiltrate the Order. Position yourself as Dumbledore's right-hand man, then dispose of him. I assume you have the necessary motivation," he smirked, and Harry's lips curved into an answering smirk. He was enjoying the chance to kill all the people he wished he could have the first time around. _When did you get so bloodthirsty, Harry?_ he wondered, and filed away the question to address at a later time.

"It will be my pleasure, my Lord," he responded, leaving the smirk on his face. _And God, I never thought I'd get along with Voldemort so well. At least I can't wait to kill him as well, _he consoled himself. Actually, he would have to get his hands on the Horcruxes he knew of as quickly as possible; before Voldemort decided to move them. If he started protecting them better it would be hard to get at them.

_The one at Grimmauld Place should be safe for a while yet_, he thought, then realized that Sirius must still be alive. Close on the heels of that happy realization came the memories of the battle at the Ministry, and the fact that it had all happened because Voldemort had wanted to hear the prophecy.

Harry must have lost control over his expression, for Voldemort's eyes narrowed and he hissed, "What is it?" in a dangerous tone of voice.

"The prophecy," Harry answered without thinking, then promptly kicked his brain into overdrive to come up with a new wording to give Voldemort. There was no way he would tell him the line "either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives".

"You have not heard it before, I believe," he said, knowing already that Voldemort knew no more than the first two lines and hoping to use that to his advantage. The intensity of the Dark Lord's gaze ensured that he would be choosing his words carefully.

"The full prophecy reads 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…" Harry spoke deliberately slowly, infusing a sense of gravitas into his words. If he didn't get this right, he was a dead man. "And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, and each will have power the other knows not…" He could see that Voldemort didn't like that part, but it was close enough to the original to ring true. "And they will be both allies and foes, and their power will have no equal… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…" Harry trailed off, hoping it would be enough. On a whim he added, "Dumbledore seemed to believe that the power I have that you know not is love." At Voldemort's incredulous look he smirked. "That was my reaction as well."

To his surprise, Voldemort actually snorted. "What a fool. Double fool him for drugging you to attempt to keep you from allying yourself to me."

Harry's expression hardened. "Yes, that was foolish of him. I will have to get Harry away from his influence as quickly as possible; Harry will cause us a lot of trouble otherwise, and he is actually quite a useful character." He smirked at discussing himself in that way, and this time it was Voldemort who mirrored his smirk.

"Excellent. Severus, you will take him to Hogwarts and come up with a way to ingratiate him with Dumbledore. Invent a false story, supply him with false memories – I trust you two to know how to go about it." Outwardly both Severus and Harry nodded, but inwardly both were gaping. Voldemort, trusting them to plan such a thing on their own, without demanding to know all the details? Apparently Harry's interference had changed far more than he had expected, and he had just neatly secured their spots at the very head of the pack.

"And Bellatrix…" Voldemort continued, turning his red gaze on his only female Death Eater. "If you kill any of my followers, you will regret it." His eyes were hard, and Lestrange didn't even bother protesting that she would never do such a thing, instead bowing her head meekly. Harry hoped that there wouldn't be any trouble from her, but knew better than to assume good behavior from Bellatrix Lestrange. He would be keeping an eye on her.

"You may go. And Harry? When I next call Severus, join him. We will renew our connection then."

Harry did his very best to look eager as he thanked Voldemort, and bowed low one last time before leaving the hall with Snape. He would need to get new clothing, he realized as he compared his ragged Muggle clothing to Snape's pristine Death Eater robes. Sighing as he wondered whether he would still have access to his vaults in this time, he apparated out after Snape, both of them headed for Hogwarts.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE:

It was only when he appeared outside the gates to the school grounds that it truly hit him that he was back in time. As soon as he saw the undamaged fields and the unharmed castle in the background he sank to the ground, other images flashing before his eyes. Hermione bleeding to death near the lake; dead students' lifeless eyes; the burning East Wing; Voldemort's grin as he cast the death blow that had somehow sent him back in time instead of killing him…

It was only when he was shaken violently that he snapped back to the present and realized that Snape had crouched down before him and taken him by the shoulders. Before the scowling man could say anything Harry grabbed him by the shoulders in turn, his eyes haunted.

"Please tell me they're alive," he begged his former professor. "Please tell me that I'm really in the past and that they're all alive," Harry said, his voice breaking as Ron's lifeless face flashed before his eyes. He didn't know the man well enough to tell, but he could have sworn that Snape looked concerned.

"The only recent death was that of Cedric Diggory," Snape replied, his dark eyes grounding Harry to the current reality. "The revels have not begun yet, so neither wizards nor Muggles have died recently."

"Thank God," Harry sobbed, tipping his head back to face the sky, tears spilling over and running down his cheeks. "I won't fail you again," he whispered brokenly, remembering all the people that had died because of him. "I'm so sorry," he choked out between sobs, lowering his head and covering his face with his hands. "So, so sorry…" He didn't know how long he spent huddled that way, sobbing into his hands, but the firm warmth of Snape's hands never left his shoulders, and for that he was more thankful than he could say.

When he had calmed down somewhat he dropped his hands from his face, took a deep breath and cast a weak cleaning charm at his face before opening his eyes and meeting the gaze of his former professor. "Sorry," he croaked, and Snape simply held his gaze.

"I assume that the future did not run as you told the Dark Lord," he said eventually, and Harry smiled grimly.

"Not at all," he said, and his voice sounded rusty even to himself. "In fact, he was actually trying to kill me when he somehow sent me back in time." He closed his eyes and forced out the next words. "It was a last stand. Here, at Hogwarts. We had sworn that we would protect the students." Impossibly, he felt tears welling up once more, and he opened his eyes and looked to the sky to stop the tears. "We failed."

Silence enveloped them once more, and it was somehow a comforting silence. Eventually Harry found his voice and continued, his eyes still on the sky. "It was a great loss when we lost you, sir." He paused, recalling how they had discovered the Potions Master in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor, tortured until he was nearly unrecognizable. "I was unable to kill Lestrange then," Harry said, gritting his teeth. "Mrs. Weasley got her, but the entire Weasley family except for Ron perished in the resulting explosion." His eyes burning, he met the unsettled gaze of the man before him. "I got Malfoy now, though," he said with vicious triumph. "He deserved worse, but I didn't think I could live with myself if I raped him to death as he did to Susan." Snape flinched, and Harry smiled grimly. "Sorry. I'll try to leave the past where it belongs. It helps neither of us to go over events that won't happen now." Rising, he waited until Snape had risen again before extending a hand to him.

"It is good to see you again, sir," he said honestly, his eyes wandering over the man's face and taking in the details. It had been a year since the spy's death, but even so Harry realized that this younger version of Snape had not yet acquired the grey hair and lines that the second war had given him. Looking at him now and knowing how much both wars had taken out of the man had Harry vowing silently that he would do everything he could to change things this time around. It had only been after Dumbledore's death that he had found out what a formidable person Snape really was, and while it had been too late to forge a friendship they had both gained a lot of respect for the other. They had been the leaders of the Order after Dumbledore's death, and they had learned to work together. Of course, this Snape hadn't experienced what Harry had, and all he knew was the Golden Boy whom he hated with a passion.

"I realize that you have not experienced what I have," Harry said calmly, "and you do not know me as I truly am. All I ask is that you treat me as a separate person from Gryffindor Harry, for the things I said to Snake Face were perfectly true – Dumbledore did keep me drugged and spellbound, and the Harry you know is what Dumbledore wants him to be. Harry is not James Potter; it is Dumbledore's influence that makes him appear that way." Meeting the dark gaze earnestly, Harry added, "He has a few compulsion spells on you, too, as well as a persuasion charm to keep you from questioning him."

The dark eyes flashed. "And you know this how?" Snape bit out. Harry noted that the man had yet to remove his hand from his hold.

"Madam Pomfrey checked us all," Harry replied. "After Dumbledore died several of us noticed marked changes in our own behavior, and as Madam Pomfrey was the first to notice she insisted on checking all the teachers, students and Order members for spells. I had the most, closely followed by you, Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall and Remus, then Ron and Hermione, and an assortment of spells and potions used on various teachers and Order members. I don't care to think about how he managed to keep up so many spells for so many years. From Madam Pomfrey's scans it appeared as though you and Remus were exposed to the spells for far longer – even going as far back as your own time as Hogwarts students." Harry watched his companion closely for a reaction, and he caught it when a flicker of strong emotion crossed the dark eyes. Holding that gaze, he said softly, "There were traces of a love potion in your system as well."

A pause as Snape assimilated that information, then a shuttered expression came over the man's face and he ripped his hand from Harry's grasp. Turning away, Snape strode up the path to Hogwarts, leaving Harry standing alone by the gates with a regretful expression on his face. When his time's Snape had found out about the spells and love potion he had shut himself away from the world for a week, and it had been over a year later that Harry had found out that the love potion had been keyed to Lily Evans, and that Snape's love for Lily had been the reason that he had turned to Dumbledore and ended up as the Order's spy. _Dumbledore has a lot to answer for,_ Harry thought grimly, wondering who would be the one to kill him this time around.

Slowly Harry made his way up the path to Hogwarts, each step a struggle now that exhaustion had kicked in. He hoped his luck wouldn't run out just yet and that he'd make it to the Room of Requirement without running into anyone, and hopefully he'd have enough energy to pen Snape a note before succumbing to exhaustion. He felt like he could sleep for a week, then spend a day in the shower before eating a whole cow. Life had not been easy in the future.

A/N: I'm not sure yet where this is going, but Severus will definitely play a huge part. I do think this will end up as slash (in the previous future Harry was together with a woman, but she's reserved, in a way, for this time's Harry – confusing, no?) with the obvious pairing being Harry/Severus. There are few people in the new timeline that will be able to understand Harry, since he'll do everything he can to prevent the atrocities that he's seen. Ron and Hermione, certainly, won't understand the future Harry, but Severus will. It'll take a while for that to develop, though, so even if you don't like slash fiction, don't feel deterred!


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR:

Harry awoke slowly, feeling better than he had in... longer than he cared to remember. Looking around blearily, he found himself in an unfamiliar room - which wasn't unusual, if he was honest - that had only the bed he lay in, a wooden chair, and a desk strewed with parchment and potion vials. Harry frowned slightly: The last of their potions had run out over three months before, so where had the potions come from? He vaguely remembered drinking them, actually...

Then it all came back to him with a crash, and he lunged upright in bed. He was in the past. He was in the Room of Requirement. Everyone was still alive.

And Harry broke down.

Even when he had first seen Hogwarts, whole and unblemished, he had managed to keep a shred of control and not let his grief overcome him, holding on to his control by a fine thread. Now, alone in the depths of Hogwarts, he felt no need to hide his heartbreak, and he cried his heart out, huge sobs wracking his body as he had never permitted before. There had never been time before, never been time to mourn the Weasleys, who had always treated him like a son, no time to mourn Snape when he had been so cruelly ripped from them, no time to mourn Susan or Daphne or Dean or Ginny or Teddy or... the list just went on and on, Harry finally crying for all the people he had lost.

Then a hysterical laugh bubbled from his lips. "What would you think if you saw me now, Severus?" he asked of the ceiling, tears blurring his vision. "You, who were always so strong, who never let anyone see your feelings, what would you think of me breaking down and crying like a baby?" A sob wracked his slight frame. "I never got to mourn you, you know. You were always there for me, and when I found you in Malfoy Manor there wasn't even time to bury the body," he choked out. "You were gone, and I had to assume control of the Order on my own. I had never realized how much I had relied on you before then, how crucial you were to our effort, how much you were respected by the members." A hiccough interrupted his sobs as he closed his eyes. "I didn't mean to fail you all. I didn't mean for you to be tortured to death, or for you to be decapitated on the battlefield, for you to bleed to death next to the severed head of your lover, or for you, my love, to be the first victim of that terrible curse," he said, his heartbreak audible in his voice as he thought of the people closest to him, the ones he had failed the most. Tears ran down his cheeks, and it was a heartrending sight: That of a young man sitting between crumpled sheets, face tipped up to the ceiling, wearing an expression that no one of that age should have to bear. As he cried he brokenly listed gruesome deaths, apologizing to each person in turn for being unable to prevent it but never mentioning their names. The recital was terrible enough without them, and Harry held each person in his mind as he listed their death, picturing them both as they were when they were vibrant with life and when they had been rendered to corpses, their eyes empty and without life. Harry laughed at the thought, an edge of hysteria clearly noticeable. "Except for you, Colin," he sobbed, "You had no lifeless eyes to stare at me with - they gouged them out and left them on the floor beside you."

With that he fell silent, staring at the ceiling as he saw before his eyes events that had happened in his past, but that hadn't happened yet in this time. "It won't happen this time," he spoke, and his voice was full of conviction even through the tears. "I'll kill them all, and they can toss me into Azkaban afterwards for being a mass murderer." Harry laughed shakily. "Like I'm not one already anyway." He paused. "I'll have to kill Greyback all over again," he said in a tone of mild irritation, only occasional light sobs puncturing his sentences now. A feral grin split his face, and combined with the tears he looked truly insane in that moment. "I already got Malfoy for you, Susan," he said, and his voice was heavy with terrible justice. The grin lasted only a moment before Harry took a shaky breath in, getting himself under control once more.

"Alright, Harry," he told himself, scrubbing at his face. "That's quite enough. You'll be no help to anyone if you let yourself become unstable." With that he pushed aside the sheets and stood, a determined look on his face. Facing the middle of the room, he spoke clearly, "Hogwarts, I would ask you for a bath and a change of clothes," not blinking when a full bathtub materialized in the center of the small room, soap and other essentials lined up on the rim and a set of folded clothes resting on the floor along with a large towel. "I thank you, fair Lady," Harry acknowledged, bowing once to the room. They had discovered during some hard times that the Room of Requirement was capable of conjuring anything needed, pulling it from other places as necessary. Food, which had been the most important to them at the time, had come directly from the Hogwarts kitchens, and they had assumed that beds and other necessities came from some of the many unused rooms in Hogwarts.

Harry stripped and sank into the bathtub, groaning at the feeling of hot water hitting his various cuts and injuries. The potions had done him a world of good, but the open cuts stung terribly.

"How long has it been since I last washed?" Harry wondered quietly. It had been a hard time, towards the end, when Voldemort had somehow managed to cut off all their water and killed most of the house elves. They had still been capable of using Aguamenti to wash, of course, but trying to fill a bathtub with that spell took more out of a wizard than was safe in those times.

Sighing, Harry relaxed into the bath, shutting his eyes and trying to put himself in the mindset of the time he found himself in. It was towards the beginning of his fifth year; there had been Quirrell, the basilisk, Sirius' escape from Azkaban, and last year the Triwizard Tournament. Harry grimaced - Cedric had died. Cedric had been the first person for whose death Harry had felt responsible. He felt less so now that he realized that without Dumbledore's influence he most likely wouldn't have offered to share the trophy and Cedric wouldn't have died.

Shaking his head, he turned his mind to the present once more. By February 1996 Harry had been having visions of Voldemort's doings, and... Harry grimaced. Those terrible Occlumency lessons with Snape. Years later Severus had apologized to him for those - well, as much of an apology as any Slytherin would give - and now Harry knew that most of the trouble had been Dumbledore's spells on Snape and not the Potions Master himself. But the current Harry didn't know that.

Harry grimaced again. He wanted to go right up and remove all the spells from his younger counterpart, but he had to get in Dumbledore's good graces first, and he was afraid that if the old man tried to cast those spells on him once more he would murder him then and there.

_I'll cross that bridge when I reach it,_ he decided. _For now, I need to meet Severus and discuss the future with him..._


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE:

Harry strode through the halls of Hogwarts, ignoring the few students that crossed his path. He had learned over the years that if you acted like you belonged somewhere, few would question it, and that held true for the current situation as well. The few students that saw him looked curious, but didn't seem to find the sight of a stranger in their school strange at all. For that, Harry was grateful, though he wished he still had his invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map. There was a certain appeal to hiding in plain sight, but at that moment he fiercely missed the objects he had used for so long.

Reaching the dungeons, he turned firmly in the direction of the Potion Master's quarters, knowing that he didn't have much time before Dumbledore showed up. The portraits would inform the Headmaster about a stranger's presence, after all.

Rather than a portrait, the Head of Slytherin had a stone statue guarding his quarters - a large snake, coiled as if to strike. Harry had spent much time in the past – future, he reminded himself – talking to the snake, and it gave him a pang to realize that Medusa would no longer remember him. A small smile pulled at his mouth, however, as he addressed the carving, for whoever had named the guardian 'Medusa' had clearly not realized that the snake was male.

**Who are you to know my name, Speaker? **the snake returned, gazing at him warily.

**My name is Harry Potter, **Harry hissed in reply, **but I come from the future. Might you let the Potions Master know that I have come to speak with him? **

Medusa fixed him with a beady look, a moment elapsing before he informed him, **The Master comes.**

**I thank you,** Harry returned, longing for the easy conversations that the snake no longer remembered.

A moment later the statue slid to the side, revealing an arched doorway. Beyond it stood Severus Snape, an unreadable expression on his face. "Enter," he spoke curtly, and Harry obeyed without comment.

Once he was inside the Professor's quarters and the statue had slid back into its place, Harry said, "The Headmaster will be here shortly; the portraits will have informed him of my presence." There were, of course, no portraits in the Potions Master's rooms, nor in any other part of the dungeons. The Slytherins, after all, knew of their purpose.

"We need to decide how to present me to the Headmaster," Harry continued, turning to his companion. From the glint in Snape's eye he assumed that the older man realized why he chose not to call the Headmaster by name: His dislike for the man would be evident in his tone if he called him Dumbledore, or even Albus. Better to feign respect.

"I have given it some thought," Severus replied, and Harry simply nodded. He had expected that. "You are fully recovered?" the man asked then, taking Harry by surprise.

He hesitated. "As much as I could have hoped," he replied, and to his relief the other man seemed to understand.

"Very well. I thought that we could simply present your true story – that the war had not gone well for the Light, and that you found a ritual to send you back in time. It seems the proper Gryffindor thing to do," the man sneered. Harry couldn't help but laugh, enjoying the banter he had missed so after the Potions Master's death. Snape looked taken aback, however, and Harry realized once again that he was the only one who remembered those times.

"What did you expect from a Gryffindor, sir?" Harry asked teasingly, turning his back on the older man. Walking over to the couch, he sat with a content sigh in the spot he always claimed. Looking up at Snape, he took in the man's strange expression and realized that he had put the man off balance.

Harry smiled apologetically as he asked, "You have removed the charms and potions affecting you?" Snape grimaced and answered in the affirmative.

"Great." Bringing the conversation back to the most pressing topic, Harry asked, "How would you suggest I act around the Headmaster?"

Snape paused, seeming to understand that Harry didn't actually need the advice. Keeping his thoughts on the matter from his face, the man replied, "The Headmaster will of course expect the spells and potions to have worn off, but it would be advisable to act as though that fact didn't much change your personality. The war will of course have hardened you, but it is best to hide the side you showed before the Dark Lord." Harry nodded – no need for Dumbledore to know that he could quite happily kill now. "I would suggest you act respectful, but not in any way subordinate." He hesitated. "I assume you took charge of the Order after his death?"

"We both did," Harry replied evenly. "It was an equal partnership." Snape's face was blank, betraying none of his thoughts. "After your death I assumed full charge of the Order – not that there was much to take charge of," Harry said bitterly, averting his gaze. A strange silence settled over the two men, one struggling with memories, the other with revelations.

A hissing sound filled the room, and Harry straightened. "Sit," he ordered curtly, only realizing that he had when the order was promptly obeyed. Shooting a shocked and apologetic look at the older man, he hissed for Medusa to let the Headmaster enter. The first sight of the old man had Harry struggling to hide his rage – here was the man who had forced him into countless life-and-death situations, manipulated him and changed his very personality.

Before his feelings could become visible to the entering man, however, a cleared throat snapped him out of it. Inwardly thanking Severus, Harry let his relief show on his face and rose to greet his one-time mentor.

"Headmaster!" he called, almost running over to give the grandfatherly figure his hand. Clutching the old hand in his, he thought of how his first meeting with Sirius would be, and promptly got all choked up. "It's so good to see you," Harry said, his eyes roaming over the wrinkled face.

"My boy, I'm afraid that you have me at a disadvantage," Dumbledore said curiously, a sparkle in his eye as he tried to use light Legilimency on the stranger, who simply laughed.

"Legilimency won't help, Headmaster; Severus taught me well," Harry turned to grin at the silent man, ignoring the sudden tightening around the Headmaster's eyes. No way he'd let that bastard get away with using Legilimency on him. "I'm Harry, Headmaster – Harry Potter."

Harry was reluctantly impressed by Dumbledore's composure - the man only blinked once before schooling his face into quiet concern. "You have come from the future, then?"

It was with a somber expression that Harry nodded, finally releasing the hold he had on Dumbledore's hand. "Come, let us sit – there is much to tell you..."

And thus began the biggest round of bullshitting Harry had ever done – after the scene with Voldemort, of course. He still found it hard to believe that he had escaped with his life.

"I die?" Dumbledore asked, seeming genuinely surprised. _Probably never thought he could possibly die,_ Harry snarked inwardly. Outwardly he showed quite different feelings, of course, and he could feel Severus' gaze on him as he played his role of the Golden Boy to perfection.

"Yes," Harry replied, his voice quivering with suppressed emotion. "It was a cursed ring," he supplied, his gaze dropping to Dumbledore's unblemished hand. "I don't know what it was, or why you put it on... but although Severus did everything he could to keep the curse from spreading..." Raising his eyes back to Dumbledore's, he gave him a look of deepest sorrow. "It didn't take long, sir, and Poppy made sure that you didn't feel much pain."

"I am thankful to our competent Mediwitch, then," Dumbledore replied smoothly, his expression gentle as he patted Harry's hand. Swallowing his revulsion – he assumed it looked like he was swallowing tears to the other man – Harry turned his hand to hold the wrinkled fingers between his.

"You don't know how good it is to see you alive and well, sir," Harry whispered, dropping his head to look at their linked hands. _Only because I look forward to the day when I can be the one to put you back in that grave, bastard,_ he thought in the depths of his mind. After Dumbledore's death Severus had managed to slow down and teach him Occlumency properly, and Harry was certain that he could keep Dumbledore out of his mind unless he forced his entry. Due to the strange link between him and Voldemort he had never been able to fully shield his mind from him, nor was he capable of fully blocking the man who had taught him the mind arts, but Dumbledore - yes, he would be unable to read Harry as he had before.

Dumbledore simply squeezed his hand gently in reply, and silence fell over the Potions Master's living room.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX:

"Thank you, Albus," Harry said as the old man left him in the living room of his new quarters. They were situated in Gryffindor territory - just down the hall from Gryffindor tower, in fact, and Harry knew from his brief time as Hogwarts Headmaster that the portrait that guarded his new rooms was fiercely loyal to Dumbledore. Harry tried to block out the memories of those terrible few months – when they had all but lived in the Room of Requirements – when upon Minerva's death the care of the school had fallen to him. Shaking his head, Harry walked around the rooms one more time, casting spells on the portraits to make them think they only saw him do innocuous things. No need to have spies watching his every move, after all. That done, he sat on his new couch and called for a certain house elf.

"Mr. Harry Potter sir?" the house elf gaped when he appeared before him.

"Hi Dobby," Harry said, grinning as he leaned forward to be on the same height as the diminutive elf. "I've come from the future to make sure that this time Voldemort doesn't win."

Dobby gaped for another full minute, then drew himself up to his full height. "How can Dobby be helping Mr. Harry Potter sir?"

"I was wondering if you would like to work for me, Dobby," Harry said, looking fondly at his small friend. "Last time we agreed on payment of one galleon a week and a day off a month – does that sound good to you?"

"The great Mr. Harry Potter sir is wanting Dobby to work for him?" Harry almost laughed at the wide-eyed look the house elf wore, but managed to keep it to a grin as he nodded. Dobby drew himself up again and squeaked, "Dobby would be honored to serve Mr. Harry Potter sir!"

"Wonderful!" Harry said, slipping from the couch onto one knee. Holding out his hand to Dobby, it took but a heartbeat before it was grabbed. "I, Harry James Potter-Black, take Dobby the house elf into my care. May you serve me long and well." A flare of blue light enveloped the two figures, and Harry felt a soft awareness of his friend settle into his magic once more. It felt familiar, and comforting.

Dobby however was in tears of happiness, reminding Harry of the other time they had bonded. Just as he had then, he reached out his free hand to tip up the house elf's chin, speaking to him gently.

"Dobby of the House of Potter, I welcome your help and advice, and will care for you to the best of my abilities. What I have is yours, my friend. I invite you to call me Master Harry," he had learned that it was the house elf way to add a word before anyone's name – among elves, Dobby would now be known as 'Potter Dobby', "and to call me 'Master Potter' only when in formal company. Welcome to the Potter family," he finished with a soft smile. Dobby threw himself into his arms with a loud sob, and Harry hugged him with a big smile. It was good to know that this friend, at least, was still his friend in the new timeline.

"I have several tasks for you, Dobby," he said once the elf had gotten himself under control again. Fishing a small chain out from under the robes he wore – the Room of Requirement had supplied him with a basic set of black robes – he slipped it over his head and held it out to Dobby. "These are the keys to my vaults," he said, "and I need you to access this one," he separated one key from the rest and handed the chain to Dobby, "and bring me the red wood chest. Then access this vault," he pointed out a silver key, "and bring me the suitcase made of Welsh Green dragonhide. Please inform the goblins that I will be by as soon as possible to discuss business."

"Yes Master Harry!" Dobby cried, standing to attention. "Dobby will do his best!"

"Thank you, my friend," Harry said softly just before Dobby popped away.

Standing and crossing to the desk, Harry settled down to organize his next actions. With Dobby's help, the first step – a wardrobe – was already underway. Harry had only jotted down a few points when suddenly a chest materialized with a loud pop, and Harry found a wide-eyed elf at the end of his wand before he even realized that he had moved.

"Dobby!" he exclaimed, hurriedly lowering his wand. "I'm sorry – the pop was so loud, my reactions just kicked in, I didn't realize-"

"Master Harry," Dobby interrupted his rambling, "You is not needing to apologize. Dobby will return now with green suitcase." With that, the elf popped away, leaving behind a bemused wizard. Dobby had never been that firm in the other timeline.

Before he could dwell on it longer Dobby reappeared, a large suitcase next to him. "Can Dobby be doing anything else for Master Harry?"

Harry shook himself, crouching to be on his friend's eye level. "If you could go ask Professor Snape if he could join me in," he checked the time, "an hour, that would be great. Ask him to call for you when he's ready to come - I don't want anyone in the castle knowing that he is with me. Alright?"

"Yes Master Harry sir," Dobby said, popping away. Harry shook his head with a smile before levitating the chest and suitcase into his bedroom and setting them down beside the wardrobe. He had already checked all items in his new quarters for spells, and removed the spells on the desk to duplicate anything he wrote, the spells on the bed to notify Dumbledore who slept in it, the spells on the wardrobe to catalog the contents... There had been a lot of spells around the suite.

Opening the chest, he smiled crookedly at the items within. Carefully shaking out each piece as he removed it, he began filling the wardrobe with James Potter's clothing. By the time he had finished, the wardrobe had a wealth of clothing in wizarding style. Reds and golds abounded, interspersed with black, brown and white clothing, as well as the occasional blue. There wasn't a single green item.

Knowing that there would be an Order meeting that evening, Harry carefully went through the clothing to put together an outfit to convey the impression he wanted to. A deep red shirt with golden buttons, black slacks, socks and shoes, and a warm golden robe that hung to his knees; shrinking charms were liberally used, for James Potter had been taller than his son. Once Harry had changed into the selected outfit, he opened the suitcase and soon pulled out a black chain with a pendant bearing the Black crest. Slipping it over his head, he also picked up the long chain with his keys and put it on, letting it fall underneath his shirt so that only the golden chain was visible. Rummaging around in the suitcase a little longer, Harry found a watch that he slipped onto his left wrist, taking a moment to wind it. It was an old mechanic watch, but continued to look brand new. The gunmetal casing looked nearly black, and the golden gears were visible in the skeleton casing.

That done, Harry turned back to the suitcase once more. It was filled with assorted items, ranging from jewelry to scrolls, and while he searched for a specific item he set aside other things that he felt would be useful, including an old scroll on a forgotten potion that Severus had been in awe over. This time the man would have the time and equipment to go over the potion properly, Harry would make sure of it.

Eventually he straightened with a satisfied smile, a small box in his hand, and opened it without further ado, sliding the two rings contained within on a pointer finger on each hand. A brief wince as the rings pricked his fingers to sample his blood, then a warm feeling as he felt them extend their protection to him. In the other timeline he had taken them off when he showered; a mistake he would not make this time around.

Closing the suitcase, Harry slid it under the wardrobe and hid it with a little ward Bill had taught him. He was ready for the Order.

A/N: And we have a house elf! Dobby's really going to come in handy…


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN:

When Severus appeared in Potter's living room holding the hand of a house elf, the sight that met his eyes was not one he had expected. The young man sitting on Potter's couch was clearly Potter himself, but the man's appearance had changed – again.

Severus thought back to the dirtied and bloodied man that had appeared in the Dark Lord's throne room, looking like a fighter but acting like a member of the Inner Circle, then to the sobbing man with the haunted eyes later the same evening. Then he had not seen the man until he had showed up in front of his door two days later, clothed in black robes that had to him conveyed a sense of mourning. Now, not three hours later, the man looked like a pure-blood prince welcoming him to his manor.

"You clean up surprisingly pretty, Potter," Severus drawled, hiding his surprise when the other man laughed in response.

"Why thank you," Potter replied, his eyes still shining with laughter as he walked up to his visitor and held out his hand. Severus took it and shook it firmly, considering the enigma that was Harry Potter.

"We have only three hours until the Order meeting," Potter said, releasing his hand and gesturing for him to take a seat. When they were both seated, the man continued, "I wanted to invite you to use Legilimency on me."

It was all Severus could do to keep his jaw from dropping. Had Potter truly just given him permission to search his mind?

"Veritaserum would be fine as well; whichever you prefer. I'm sure you have many questions, and you are the only person I trust to know everything. We only have three hours, and that might not be enough time to cover everything we need to, but it's important that you know what my position is in this war. I'm sure that seeing me play both the loyal Death Eater and Golden Boy in quick succession was confusing." Potter grimaced, and Severus kept his face carefully blank. Potter was absolutely right – Severus had doubted the strange man, unsure which side he really was on. However honest his breakdown had seemed, his acting in other situations had seemed too realistic for him to assume the honesty in any of Potter's actions.

"Legilimency, then," Severus said curtly, not trusting himself to say anything else. Was he truly the only person Potter trusted to know the truth? He wanted to make a cutting remark about his mutt godfather, but something stayed his hand.

"Okay," Potter said, settling comfortably and maintaining eye contact. "Whenever you're ready, then."

Before he could question it any further Severus raised his wand and intoned 'Legilimens', expecting to crash into Potter's mind as he did during the Occlumency lessons with the younger Potter. To his surprise, his mind hurtled forward to find... nothing.

_"This way,"_ he heard Potter say, then felt himself pulled forward slightly. Before he could react in any way, he was in Potter's memories, seeing things from Potter's eyes. _"Fifth year – this year," _Potter said as Severus watched himself sneer and cast 'Legilimens' at Potter. Switch of scene, he was looking down at Potter's hand writing lines, the words 'I must not tell lies' cutting into the back of the fair skin. Potter raised his head, and Severus saw Umbridge's satisfied smile. "Yes, Potter?" A shake of the head before the boy ducked his head to continue writing.

Change of scene – Black being tortured in the Ministry. _"A vision that Snake Face put in my head; a trap,"_ Potter said softly, sadly. Umbridge's office, the Golden Trio trying to reach Black and the house elf saying that Black wasn't there. The Inquisitorial Squad holding them captive; Severus himself understanding Potter's 'They've got Padfoot!'; Umbridge threatening them with the Cruciatus Curse. Leaving to the Ministry on Thestrals; the battle; the prophecy shattering; Black dying; the Ministry finally seeing that the Dark Lord was back. Then, the Headmaster's office – hearing the full prophecy. It was the first time Severus heard the full prophecy, and he was filled with honest respect when he realized that Potter had managed to tell the Dark Lord a false prophecy even under all the stress he had faced that night. _"Neither can live while the other survives," _Potter echoed in his head while Potter in the memory wrecked the office. One last memory, of Potter at his relatives' house – and Severus was shocked to see how the famous boy lived – locked in with bars on his window and no mail from his friends, his godfather dead.

_"It got worse starting there," _he heard the sad voice. After that Potter took him through the following years, until Severus had to admit that it got much worse indeed.

The revelation of Horcruxes; visions of the Dark Lord's doings; Dumbledore dying; Poppy checking them all for spell and potion residue, and from his own face when he was informed that he had a love potion in his system he realized that it had hit his future self even harder than it had in this timeline. _"You disappeared for a week, then returned as though nothing had happened," _Potter told him softly.

The changes in personality of the people around Potter; somehow Severus wasn't surprised to find that Dumbledore had locked away Granger's restraint and Weasley's more thoughtful streak. It did come as a surprise when Potter started dating Greengrass, however, and even more so when neither Weasley nor Granger seemed to be against it. It was then that Severus realized that Dumbledore had purposely exacerbated the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and the isolation of Slytherin from all other Houses. A white-hot rage swept through him, and it was only when Potter commented, _"I felt the same way when I realized," _that he realized that Potter had felt his emotion. Carefully dampening his emotions, he settled down to watch the continuation.

When things got much worse, Potter seemed to be sparing him the view of the dead, only commenting emotionlessly on who had died. There were glimpses of the two of them planning together, a remembered occasion of Potter talking to Medusa – Severus was intrigued to understand Parseltongue for once – missions executed and several successful rescues. Then his own disappearance, Potter trying to keep things together in public and collapsing in the safety of his own quarters. Greengrass had already been killed by then, and Potter was alone when he hugged himself and whispered "Please be alive, please, please be alive..." Another change of scene, and Severus realized that Potter had just averted his eyes from the sight of the dead Potions Master. _"Show me,"_ he commanded. He knew what Bellatrix's victims tended to look like, but he couldn't imagine himself in that way. _"You don't want to see that,"_ Potter returned quietly, and something about his voice convinced Severus that this one time, he would be better off not insisting.

Another year sped past, more names recited in that hollow monotone, until finally – the last stand at Hogwarts. Severus relived through Potter's eyes the battle, then the final moments of utter defeat, his helplessness as he saw everyone he had fought for dead or dying. The curse speeding towards him, and the horrible realization of what kind of death faced him – then landing painfully on stone floor.

Severus saw the Inner Circle through Potter's eyes, and when he felt the man push away from the memory he stopped him. _"Let me watch till the end," _he said, and Potter complied.

Watching the Dark Lord as Potter lied his way to freedom, gaining a new understanding of his master through the Boy-Who-Lived's eyes, was fascinating. He had always found it hard to read the Dark Lord, but Potter seemed to be able to read his every emotion through those red eyes. Severus was both relieved and strangely disappointed when Potter was unable to read his former professor's emotions when the time traveler told him that it was good to see him alive. Watching as Potter killed Lucius was enlightening as well; he had wondered at the time how a Potter could kill somehow with that delighted smile on his face. Feeling Potter's satisfaction and seeing a flashback to Bones' broken body dispelled all his doubts, though he still had conflicting feelings at the sight of his sometimes-friend lying dead and bleeding.

When they revisited the memory of Potter breaking down in front of Hogwarts he understood Potter's reaction completely, having seen himself the sight of the final stand and comparing it mentally to the untouched Hogwarts grounds. It shocked him to feel how much Potter appreciated his touch while the man sobbed into his own hands, and how much his dark gaze grounded the time traveler to the new present. Hearing again that he had been regularly given a love potion hurt just as much as the first time, but he felt somewhat guilty for abandoning the younger man when he saw how difficult it had been for Potter to make his way to the Room of Requirement.

Potter skipped the following two nights, which Severus assumed he had mostly slept through, only showing again the scene before Dumbledore arrived and the subsequent conversation. Severus was gratified to feel Potter's shock when the Potions Master had actually obeyed the command to sit, and felt strangely touched that this man considered him his equal. The conversation with Dumbledore was enlightening as well – it seemed that Severus was better at reading the old man than Potter, but the young man's acting abilities were worthy of his respect. The way he sounded as though he was about to cry when actually his voice was trembling from suppressed anger was masterful.

When the memory drew to a close Severus began to withdraw from Potter's mind, but stopped when the young man spoke. _"No, wait; I want to show you some of the past as well. Maybe then you'll understand Harry better." _As Severus was drawn into a memory of Potter's childhood he wondered why it didn't seem strange to hear Potter speak of himself as another person.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT:

Harry was trying to make meaningless small talk while quelling the urge to kill his companion when Snape flooed into the Headmaster's office. Heaving a silent sigh of relief, he stood and smiled at his former professor.

"Ah, Severus," Dumbledore said cheerfully, "Ready to go to Grimmauld Place, then?" Harry bit back a smirk when the Potions Master simply inclined his head, not deigning the Headmaster with a proper answer. Not that it seemed to faze the Headmaster at all. "Off we go, then! Severus, would you do the honors?"

Both men knew that Dumbledore simply wanted to be the last person to arrive – to make a grand entrance – and fought back identical eye rolls. "Certainly," Severus replied curtly, not trusting himself to call the man by name after Potter's revelations. Turning on his heels, he tossed a handful of Floo powder into the fire and caught Harry's eyes as he spun out of sight. As Harry had expected, the Headmaster asked him to go next, and so he did, emerging a few seconds later in the old, familiar room. Swallowing back bad memories of this place, he made his way to the empty seat next to Severus and sank into it, casting his eyes over the people assembled there.

"Compose yourself," a voice hissed at him, letting Harry know that his emotions were more than visible. Were those tears blurring his vision?

"Can't," he choked out, blinking furiously as he spotted the Weasley twins looking at him curiously. Just then green flared in his peripheral vision, and a hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"It'll be alright now," the voice of Albus Dumbledore told him softly, and Harry shut his eyes against the stab of hate that those words, spoken by that voice, brought. The movement dislodged the tears in his eyes, and one tear made its way slowly down his right cheek.

"Who is that, Albus?"

Harry started at the familiar voice, his eyes snapping open to take in the sight of his godfather walking in the room. "Sirius," he breathed, unaware of all the eyes on him as he stood and took a hesitant step towards the dead man. Beside him stood Remus, and the werewolf's confused expression changed to shock as he caught the smell of the young man before him.

"Harry?"

"Remus," Harry whispered, another tear running down his face. "Oh, Remus..." Stepping forward, Remus opened his arms to the young man, and Harry fell into them with a barely suppressed sob. The room was deathly silent but for Harry's near-silent sobs, and Remus' quiet assurances that it was alright, that everything was fine. He had always been a smart one, after all, and he had immediately realized that this older version of his friend's son must have come from the future, especially considering the way he stared at both him and Sirius as though they were dead. Nobody could fake the kind of heartbreak that Harry was currently expressing, clutching at the werewolf as though he was his last hold on reality.

"Oh, my cub," he said softly, "What have you had to live through?"

"You died," Harry choked out. "You died, and Sirius and Ron and Hermione and Severus and the Weasleys and Tonks and Neville and, and, and," he hiccoughed into silence, burying his face in his mentor's shoulder as he cried once more. _I thought I was all out of tears, _his mind thought while his body was still wracked with sobs. Then he heard a heavy sigh, and the swish of fabric as a man's footsteps came closer. A pause beside him, then rough hands grabbed him and dragged him out of Remus' arms, setting him firmly on his feet. Harry caught a glimpse of dark eyes before a hand slapped him across the face, jolting him back to his senses.

Turning his face back, he barely had time to say, "The other cheek," before the same hand backhanded him. Turning his face back again, he blinked away the last of the tears. "Thank you."

Severus merely nodded before releasing him and going back to his seat, avoiding everyone's stunned gazes as he sat down. Harry gave him a watery smile, then gave Remus a hand up off the ground. "Sorry," he said, conjuring a handkerchief to wipe at his face before he ended up crying again. "Let's sit down, shall we?" He shot a glance at Sirius, who had remained rooted in the doorway. "Sorry for the outburst."

"It's no trouble, cub," Remus said, and Harry realized that the shock of seeing him must have dispelled some of Dumbledore's spells. The ones keeping Remus' sense of pack dampened. He gave him a much better smile before turning and taking his spot next to Severus.

"How did you know?" he asked the dark man quietly. He received an inscrutable gaze.

"Your lover did it to you once," Snape replied eventually, holding his gaze as a reminder of their Legilimency session. Harry exhaled. "Thank you."

Again, all he received was a nod before they both turned their attention to the room as a whole. Some Order members were staring at him, others at Dumbledore, and one or two at Snape, all with expressions of confusion, shock, disbelief, or, in Remus' case, sadness.

"I see you have met our new Order member," Dumbledore said, and while Snape merely snorted, Harry choked in disbelief. _The bastard, _he thought fiercely, and decided not to play the meek subordinate. Standing, he said firmly,

"I am Harry James Potter-Black, and I have come from the future to ensure that this time, Voldemort doesn't win the war." Harry locked eyes with Remus as the rest of the room erupted into chaos.

After a minute or two Dumbledore called for order, and the room quieted down. "That could perhaps have been handled a bit more diplomatically, Harry," he said, a faint note of reproach in his voice.

"I disagree, Albus," Harry returned, his voice perfectly bland. "We can only move forward from that point; to dance around it would have been a waste of time." He could see that nearly everyone present had taken note of the use of Albus' first name, as well as his knockdown of the Headmaster's usual methods. Moody especially had an appreciative glint in his eye – not that that kept him from being a paranoid bastard, of course.

"How do we know that you are who you say you are?" the Auror questioned, leaning forward with an intent gaze.

"I, Harry James Potter-Black, swear on my life that that is my full name."

A disbelieving pause, then – "Did you just swear on your life? You are even more imbecilic than I had believed." Severus sounded far more composed than Harry assumed he must be.

"But you know that otherwise Alastor wouldn't have accepted it," Harry replied, adding a slight pout as he turned to the Potions Master. "And it's not like I died, right?"

"I knew stupidity was genetic," Snape muttered darkly, and as Sirius was already jumping up to defend James he paused in disbelief – for Harry simply laughed in reply.

"I assure you that I take after my mother," he retorted with an mischievous grin, garnering a scowl from the Potions Master. "Anyway," he continued, "I assume that is enough to confirm my identity?" At Moody's appreciative nod he continued, "Excellent. Let me give you a brief rundown of the future as I experienced it; then we can discuss how to prevent it from happening." It felt completely natural to assume leadership of this group, so it actually took Harry by surprise when Dumbledore tried to reassert himself.

"A fabulous idea, Harry. Molly, perhaps some tea..."

"No," Harry interrupted, looking at the Headmaster in surprise and a hint of disbelief. "This is far too important to discuss over tea. If you don't care that in my timeline, you die in a year, then by all means, have a cup of tea."

Complete silence filled the room while the two leaders tried to stare each other down, the older with a reproachful gaze and the younger with a disbelieving one.

"Let us sit down at least, shall we?" Dumbledore backed down, conjuring his preferred purple armchair. Harry replied by conjuring a black leather armchair and promptly sitting down. Leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, he continued as though Dumbledore had never interrupted him.

"In the future I came from, Sirius died in May of this year." A murmur ran through the group, and Sirius himself looked poleaxed. "The main reason was that Sirius grew too restless and ran headlong into danger; Bellatrix Lestrange knocked him through the veil in the Department of Mysteries. The obvious solution to preventing this is to give Sirius proper work to do, and to keep Harry informed of the Order's actions, as I had thought at the time that I was going to rescue Sirius, when it turned out to be a trap and Sirius ended up coming to rescue me." Harry didn't let his regrets show on his face, but was thankful for Remus' understanding gaze and Severus' level one, the former telling him that there is no shame in making mistakes, the latter keeping him grounded in the present.

"The only positive effect of that whole fiasco was that the Ministry was forced to acknowledge Snake Face's return," at the odd looks he supplied, "We started calling him Snake Face when they took over the Ministry and brought the Taboo into effect. I would suggest you call him that, as well – You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named are phrases that encourage fear and respect, which 'Snake Face' certainly doesn't. A change of attitude needs to come from the people." Nodding towards Severus, he added, "Our resident spy will continue to call him the Dark Lord, of course – it would not do for him to fall into bad habits when it can cost him his life." At Sirius' scoffing he turned and pinned him with a sharp look.

"Sirius, I love you very much, but you will have to accept my word when I say that Severus is loyal to our cause, and our cause only. He doesn't deserve your disrespect. When the Order meets, you will leave personal grudges outside the door and treat each member with the respect he or she deserves." Shifting his gaze to Mundungus, he continued, "And you will cease to steal from Order members. If I catch you taking any items from the Black or Potter families, you will face the consequences." From the look in the shifty man's eyes he decided that his warning was heard and understood.

"Moving on. Unfortunately, since the Ministry was forced to acknowledge Snake Face's return, that meant that the Death Eaters no longer had to stay low. Revels started up again, and the number of dead Muggles rose. That was before they got their hands on the list of Muggle-born magicals and started hunting them down before they reached their eleventh birthdays. When we finally realized what was happening it was too late; they had already killed all British Muggle-borns between the ages of four and eleven, as well as their families. Hogwarts would have no Muggle-born first years for several years after." Minerva had her hand before her mouth, her wide-eyed look expressing her horror at the thought.

"Then they targeted the families of Hogwarts students, but by then we had taken steps to counteract that. Obviously, those steps need to be taken far sooner this time around, starting with the future students." He saw agreement in all the members' faces, and he found a small smile for Mrs. Weasley, who was nearly in tears over the poor children.

"There is one spell that I will insist on teaching each Order member. It is a spell that hides certain memories, burying the information deep in the mind while leaving the rest as protected as you may have it. It is a sort of Fidelius for knowledge. This entire meeting, for example, should be hidden with this spell – you simply think of the information you want to hide while chanting the incantation three times, and the sound of a bell will ring out inside your head if you cast the spell successfully. It is crucial that vital information not make its way back to the other side even if one of us should be captured." He cast a serious look over the gathering, remembering briefly a time when Ernie had been captured. Ernie had forgotten to hide the knowledge of the safe houses, and several families had died as a result. "I cannot stress how important it is that you hide ALL crucial information with this spell. The names of other Order members, the location of safe houses, the contents of each meeting… These, and everything else that might be even remotely valuable to the enemy, need to be hidden. Inside information on the Ministry and the Aurors," he eyed Tonks and Alastor, "the running of Hogwarts and the list of new students," his gaze switched to Minerva and Poppy, "even how to create your pranks," he said to the Weasley twins. "I will teach you the spell at the end of the meeting, and I insist that all of you learn it; even those with Occlumentic barriers. It pays to be prepared." Severus inclined his head in acknowledgement of that statement. An additional guarantee that vital information could not make its way into the Dark Lord's hands was valuable.

"After Albus' death," another murmur ran through the group, "Severus and I took charge of the Order." Harry pretended not to notice the looks the other members gave Snape at that revelation. "When Severus died at the hands of Bellatrix, I became the sole leader of the Order of the Phoenix. I insist that things not reach that point this time. I would be happy to lead this fine group, but not because anyone else capable of leading was already dead." He shot a look at Minerva, who paled. "I was also Headmaster of Hogwarts for several months before coming back in time, and that, too, is a post that should not have fallen to me for the reason it did."

"What do you suggest we do?" Minerva asked shakily, and Harry looked at her earnestly.

"We shouldn't let things reach that point. The Death Eaters want to kill us all; I simply suggest we return the favor." Shifting his gaze to Sirius, he said, "You are the current Head of House Black – unless I am? I will check with the goblins as soon as I can. Either way, one of us should cast the Black Blood on Bellatrix, ridding us of the person who incapacitated too many members of this Order. Lucius Malfoy has already died in this time," he didn't elaborate despite the surprised looks, "and Narcissa should be approached with an offer. Since her husband was declared a traitor by Snake Face, she and her son are not safe. Should we offer them protection, we will have the Malfoy name on our side, which carries great political weight." Conjuring a glass of water to whet his throat, Harry continued in the same vein.

"We know which pure-bloods are Death Eaters; it will be easy enough to infiltrate their manors while they sleep, waking them to give them the choice between swearing their allegiance to our side or death. Veritaserum will obviously be a necessity. Their spouses and children should be questioned under Veritaserum as well."

"Harry," Dumbledore interrupted benevolently, "Surely you do not intend to kill in cold blood? I am sure they can be made to see reason if given a second chance…"

Harry turned to the old Headmaster with a stony expression. "They made their choice, Albus – one chance is all I am prepared to give them. Giving them the choice between death and an oath is one they would not give us. Frankly, I'm tempted to simply kill them in their sleep, as that is much kinder than anything they would do to us. Even killing Bellatrix with the Black Blood is more humane than the way she killed Severus in the other timeline. Lucius Malfoy raped Susan Bones to death; I felt the death he received was far better than he deserved. Do not speak to me of second chances."

"How did Malfoy die?" Moody asked, his good eye fixed on Harry while his blue eye seemed to swing between Dumbledore and Snape.

Harry contemplated the grizzled Auror, wondering whether or not to answer the question. Weighing his options, he eventually decided to simply stick to the truth. "I bashed in his head with that cane of his," Harry replied evenly. "When I came back in time, I for some reason materialized in the middle of a meeting of the Inner Circle." He shrugged. "I bluffed my way out; Snake Face believes that I turned to his side after Albus' death." He realized right after that he shouldn't have said that; now Dumbledore would wonder whether Harry had changed enough after his death to turn to the Dark. Cursing himself for a fool, Harry turned to Dumbledore with a sad smile. "As though I would turn to the Dark when there was Albus' legacy to carry on…"

The suspicious glint that Harry had seen in Dumbledore's eyes faded with those words, and the old man laid his hand on Harry's. "I'm glad that I had such a positive effect on you, my boy." It was lucky that he didn't add anything about forgiveness, for Harry would not have accepted such a statement and Dumbledore seemed to recognize that.

Holding the wrinkled hand in his for the second time that day, Harry turned back to the Order and continued outlining his thoughts on how they would have to act to win the war.

A/N: Sorry I didn't upload yesterday! Somehow it slipped my mind… (Don't worry, you'll get the next chapter tonight as scheduled!)


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE:

"That was well handled, cub," Remus said when all the other Order members had left. Harry smiled at him, the praise giving him a warm feeling. Sirius was unnaturally quiet, and had been for most of the meeting; now that it was just the three of them in Grimmauld Place, Harry hoped to find out what was on his godfather's mind.

"Everything okay, Sirius?" he ventured, and blinked when Sirius suddenly erupted.

"Everything is goddamned NOT okay! What the fuck is all this? You're back from the future where we're all dead and you're a fucking killer," something in Harry's face made Sirius stop there, his face flushing suddenly. "I need a drink," he muttered and left.

Harry only noticed that his hands were shaking when Remus grasped them, gently drawing him over to the couch along the wall. "You know that Sirius doesn't adjust well to new situations, cub; give him time," he murmured.

"I only knew him for two years," Harry replied numbly, "and only saw him a few times. I don't really know him, Remus, not really, but he's my godfather," he ended in a whisper. Godfathers shouldn't accuse their charges of being killers. "I'm a killer only by necessity," he said weakly, and to his relief Remus agreed.

"I know, cub, I know." He reached out and lightly stroked Harry's cheek, noting sadly how the young man leaned into the touch. "And if we adults kill, it'll only be to keep others from killing. If we deal with the war, then this timeline's Harry and his friends won't be the ones forced to kill." Remus pulled Harry into a hug, smelling the scent that was so similar to the young Harry and yet so different. This Harry smelled dangerous. "I'm so proud of you, Harry," Remus said softly into his companion's ear. "You've been so strong, for so long. You've grown into a fine man."

Lulled by Remus' comforting words and touch, Harry sank slowly into sleep. It had been a tiring day.

A noise startled Harry out of sleep, and before he knew it he was crouched against the wall, wand in hand and eyes searching out the danger.

"Easy, Harry," Remus said, raising his hands to show that he was unarmed. He stood by the door with Sirius, who openly gaped at the man who had been sound asleep a moment before.

"Sorry," Harry blushed. Standing, he smoothed out his robes self-consciously. "Maybe I should go," he said, not meeting the other men's eyes.

"Have you eaten?"

Harry looked at Remus in surprise, then blinked twice in thought. When had he last eaten? He had grown so used to the feeling of an empty stomach that he hadn't even thought to ask for food.

"No," he replied simply, deciding that there was no need to add, 'not for over two days'. The last time he had eaten was right before the battle.

"Then stay, and I'll whip up something to eat." Remus was already turning to go when he saw Harry stiffen noticeably, his face stony. "Cub?" he asked, trying not to show his worry.

"Kreacher," the young man hissed, his emerald eyes glinting. A loud pop sounded, and Harry moved so quickly that even to Remus, he was a blur of motion. Then he locked his jaw to keep from gaping, for there stood Kreacher, his head neatly severed from his body.

"Traitor," Harry hissed, casting four spells in quick succession – two to pulverize the house elf, one to clean the floor of blood, and another to freshen the air. Then he relaxed slightly, and though Remus could still feel the predator in him, it was clear that he felt the danger had passed. "He tricked me into going to the Ministry, leading directly to your death," he supplied harshly, shooting Sirius a glance. "Dobby!"

Another pop, and Remus was relieved when Harry didn't behead the house elf that appeared. Harry simply crouched to be level with Dobby and spoke to him clearly.

"Dobby, please go get Winky." Dobby saluted him – and where did he get that mannerism from? – and popped away, appearing shortly after with Winky. She looked as Harry had expected – dirty and drunk. Standing, he locked his hands behind his back, speaking to the house elf as the Head of a pure-blood line.

"Hogwarts Winky," he addressed her by her elf name, "The House of Black has need of a loyal and competent house elf. I remember that you served the House of Crouch long and well, and would give you a new family to serve. I will offer you neither wages nor days off, but I will insist on a uniform. The House of Black will not have a house elf dressed in such shabby things; it would not befit the image of such an old pure-blood line."

Winky was staring up at him with big eyes; Dobby was bouncing up and down with a huge grin. "Master Harry is wanting to hire Winky?" the excited elf asked, and Harry didn't miss the way Winky flinched at the word 'hire'.

"No, Dobby," he said, speaking to the female house elf. "Sirius Black is in need of a house elf to restore the family home to the glory it once had; he intends to bond with a house elf, not hire one."

Winky seemed to perk up at that, and shakily heaved herself to her feet. Sketching an uncertain bow, she said, "Winky will return," and popped out. Harry only had time to give Dobby a curious look before Winky reappeared, seeming much more sober than before. She bowed deeply, straightening to look up at Harry Potter. "Winky is wishing to bond with the House of Black," she stated formally, and Harry nodded.

"Sirius, if you would?"

A glance at his godfather showed that the man was completely off balance, and Harry felt momentarily guilty. He hadn't even asked whether Sirius wanted a house elf. But then the man stepped forward, and before long the bonding was complete; Winky would answer to the members of the House of Black, and Sirius over all.

"What is Winky to start with, Master Black?" she squeaked, and Sirius sent Harry a lost look.

"I need you to go through Kreacher's hoard and find me a locket. Bring it to me." Winky bowed and popped away – and reappeared right away, a silver locket in her hand. Harry blinked. He had not expected her to be so quick.

Recovering, he gestured at the floor in front of him. "Place it here," he said, and once the elf had done so he pulled a basilisk fang out of his robes and stabbed the locket. A high-pitched scream filled the room before everything went quiet, all people present staring at Harry and the locket with wide eyes.

"Where did you just pull that fang from?" Remus asked weakly, and Harry looked up in surprise. Then he laughed, a slight edge to his voice that the other man couldn't place.

"Of all the things you could have asked, that's your most important question?" Harry chuckled. "I charmed one of my trouser pockets to be an enlarged space, keep me from being stabbed by the basilisk fang… You know, the necessary charms." He tucked the fang back into the pocket he had pulled it from and banished the twisted remains of Slytherin's locket.

"That was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes," he said, and at their confused and wary looks elaborated, "A piece of his soul. He made several Horcruxes. I know the location of a few of them, and we will need to deal with them as soon as possible; before he removes them and hides them better." He smirked at their horrified looks and turned to the house elves once more. "Black Winky and Potter Dobby, we would like to eat dinner. Once our meal is prepared, please survey the house and report back on its status, what work needs to be done, and whether there are any dangerous items or creatures around." They both bowed, and Harry added a firm, "Thank you." before they popped away.

"Come; we can discuss it over dinner," Harry said as he passed the two frozen men on his way to the kitchen. He was suddenly feeling his very empty stomach.

A/N: A guest commented on Chapter 3 saying that I'll lose half of my readers if I write slash, and that as the ship is student/teacher, child/adult it's child porn which could result in major legal issues, and that even referencing rape is adult rating and FF net caps out at teen. In response, just a few points for clarification: Harry (due to being a time traveler) is 21 years old, and as such is an adult just about the world over and certainly in wizarding society. I do reference rape several times in this fic, but I'm afraid the lemons I will be posting further along in this story (and have posted several times in other fics) violate the rating far more than a few references of rape! (Oops.) As for losing readers – I write for myself, not for others (I have two other long fanfictions in progress, one of which is already over 120.000 words long and I haven't shared a word of on the site yet), so the thought that fewer people will read my story really doesn't affect it at all. Besides which – have you seen how many slash fics there are on this site? There are a lot of people out there that love Harry/Snape, Harry/Draco and Harry/Lucius, just to name three of the biggest ships ;)  
That's all I wanted to say! I appreciate your concern, though, and thank you for the review.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN:

When Harry fell into bed that night, he barely had time to acknowledge that it had been a very busy day indeed before he succumbed to sleep. Although he had slept for more than a full day and taken a nap, he could still feel the fatigue in his bones, and he fell into a very deep sleep.

Harry woke abruptly, visions of Voldemort fresh in his mind. He suddenly wondered whether his younger self had seen the meeting of the Inner Circle when he had crashed into the past. _That would be bad,_ he thought, knowing that it could be a catastrophe if his counterpart had witnessed that meeting. So, younger Harry would need to be dealt with. He couldn't remove Dumbledore's spells; he remembered how rebellious he had been in fifth year, and that that rebellious streak had only been squashed by Sirius' death. Since that wouldn't happen this time around, younger Harry might end up being rebellious for quite a while longer...

Harry sighed. He remembered that at that time, most of his anger had come from being left out of the loop, and he thought that bringing Harry into the Order might be all they needed to do. Umbridge, though, would need to be dealt with... Harry grinned, and it wasn't pretty.

_Back to Harry, _he called himself to order. _Dispelling Dumbledore's spells and potions would lead him away from the Headmaster, and most likely make him angry enough to kill the old man, which would not be good. But if I could remove only the spells squashing his Slytherin side... Yes, that might work. And take the spells off of Ron and Hermione; they need to have balance in their personalities to stand by Harry. So, release Harry's Slytherin side, so that he can start thinking properly, bring the Golden Trio into the Order, ensure that Harry never has to go back to the Dursleys... _Harry nodded as he mentally went through appropriate steps to take. He had already discreetly dispelled some of the spells on Remus and Sirius; Remus had already shrugged off the ones limiting his sense of pack, and Harry had felt it safe to remove all other spells affecting him, but from Sirius he only removed the spell exacerbating his dislike for Slytherins and Snape specifically. Sirius couldn't be trusted to remain level-headed if he realized that Dumbledore was drugging him, but Remus would be able to hide the fact that he was no longer under the control of the aging leader. In fact, Sirius hadn't even noticed him lifting the spell; Remus had shot him a sharp look when he had felt ties lifting from him, and a whispered comment had both reassured and enraged the werewolf. Thankfully he had only lost control for a split second, for a low growl was all he let pass his lips.

"Severus would be impressed by your control," Harry had muttered to himself with a grin, shaking his head when Remus shot him a curious look.

_Right, _Harry thought, swinging his legs out of bed and standing up. _Time to organize a meeting with the Golden Trio. _Calling for Dobby, he instructed him to tell Harry to sneak to the Room of Requirements after curfew, and to take his friends with him. "Once you've done that, go to Harry's dorm and fetch me the invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map, okay?" A few minutes later both errands were completed, and Harry put on the cloak, holding his hand out to Dobby. "Drop me off in front of the kitchens, please."

Finding the Golden Trio was easy; seeing them, however, was strange. They were so carefree, so... young. Harry smiled sadly as he quietly removed several spells from the three kids, ducking away once he was done. Dobby took him back to his rooms, put the cloak and map back where they belonged, and brought him some food. Harry thanked him enthusiastically as he tucked into the meal, and Dobby popped away with a blush. "House elves are the best," Harry sighed when he had polished off all the food Dobby had brought him. Sending the dishes back to the kitchens – no need to make more work for his awesome house elf – he turned to his notes on steps to take.

Checking his watch, he realized that Severus was in class, and pursed his lips. He wanted to talk to the man about how to deal with Snake Face, but that wasn't a conversation one could have in the middle of Potions class. Sighing, he stood and headed for the Room of Requirement. Let the portraits tell Dumbledore what they will.

It was quick work to find and destroy Ravenclaw's diadem; it took longer to find the Grey Lady and explain the situation to her, offering her the remains of the famous headpiece.

"I thank you," the ghost said after a long silence, "but it is best if it is believed to be lost. My mother's legacy will live on, and I am gratified to find my mistake rectified. Please dispose of it as you will," she said in her sad, soft voice before drifting away through a wall. Bowing in the direction the ghost had disappeared in, Harry banished the diadem as he had the locket. Two Horcruxes down. _Three, counting the diary, _Harry thought in satisfaction as he headed back to his quarters.

Turning a corner, Harry came face to face with Minerva, both of them stopping abruptly to avoid a collision. "Hi Minerva," Harry grinned, and her stern expression eased somewhat. "Harry," she greeted quietly to keep the students from hearing. "Should you be roaming the castle?" she asked disapprovingly, and looked at him sternly when he just grinned at her.

"But Minnie, it's so boring in my rooms," he whined, nearly bursting into laughter when her eyebrows shot up.

"I'm sure," she replied drily, pressing her lips together. Harry however had learned over the years that her thin lips were a sign of suppressed laughter, not a sign of disapproval, and simply winked at her.

"I had some things to deal with," he told her lowly, aware of the passing students eyeing them curiously. Casting a small notice-me-not spell, he added, "I am wondering whether I should change my appearance a bit when around the school, though - I'm not sure it would be a good thing for a student to recognize me..."

Minerva gave him a quick one-over. "It might be a wise precaution," she agreed, "but you look sufficiently different from Mr. Potter that I doubt anyone will suspect your identity. How old are you now?"

"Twenty one," Harry supplied, cocking his head. Did he really look that different now? His hair was still the same rat's nest (Daphne had called it 'windswept' and 'shag me hair', but he tried not to remember that), his build was still wiry and lean, his eyes were still the same shade... Did the lack of glasses make such a difference? The change of clothes?

He noticed that Minerva had a sad smile on her face, and he looked at her questioningly. She merely shook her head and wished him a good day before walking past him, leaving him confused. He wondered why she had looked at him that way, not knowing that she had been seeing the man he had become, an edge of danger and alertness always surrounding him even when relaxed. The small scar on his cheekbone, the somewhat longer hair hiding the lightning scar on his forehead. The green eyes that no longer held that shining energy, instead appearing guarded and alert. The posture that spoke of confidence, leadership and competence. Gone was Harry Potter, the somewhat lazy student with the innocent eyes. In his place stood Harry James Potter-Black, leader of the Order of the Phoenix, Hogwarts Headmaster, and time traveler. And she felt conflicting emotions when seeing him – sadness that such a young man had to shoulder such heavy burdens, and relief that he had come back in time, for she hadn't realized how much they needed him until he had showed up and told them what they had to do.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Harry?" Hermione whispered, following her two friends as they made their way through the castle.

"I trust Dobby," Harry replied absently, one eye on the Marauder's Map. Suddenly he faltered, and Ron nearly ran into him.

"What is it, mate?" Ron peered at the map, trying to see what had startled his friend.

Harry stared at the space in front of the Room of Requirement. "I could have sworn-" He was sure that for just a moment, there had been a person in front of the room, a person named Harry Potter-Black. Had it just been a trick, or was there someone waiting in the Room for them?

"Dobby," he called quietly, frowning when the house elf appeared. "Is there someone waiting in the Room of Requirement for us?"

"Yes, Mr. Harry Potter sir!" the house elf squeaked. "You is to hurry, Mr. Harry Potter sir!" With that, Dobby popped away, leaving three confused students behind.

"I don't like this," Hermione said hesitantly. "Did you see someone on the map, Harry?"

"Yes," Harry said slowly, "I saw... I think it was me."

"You?" the girl squeaked, staring at him with wide eyes. "But how? It's dangerous to play with time, Harry," she said chidingly, and Harry bristled at the reproach.

"I'm going," he said curtly, heading towards the Room. Ron followed without question, tugging at Hermione's arm to get her to follow.

"If it's really a future Harry waiting for us, he's not about to hurt us, right?" he asked lowly, and Hermione shot him an exasperated look.

"That's not the issue, Ronald," she began, cutting off the rest of her rejoinder when Harry shushed them. The rest of the way they spent in silence, each thinking about the person waiting for them in the Room of Requirement.

When they opened to door to the Room, they saw a room similar to the Gryffindor common room, but in earthy tones and only four armchairs in front of a blazing fire. In the center of the chairs was a low table, and behind one of the armchairs stood...

The man turned, and they stood rooted in shock.

"Harry?" Hermione asked weakly, and the stranger smiled a crooked smile.

"Hi, Hermione," he said softly. "Why don't you come in and close the door?" he suggested, gesturing at the armchairs. "We might as well be comfortable when we talk." Suddenly he frowned. "Please tell me you used the invisibility cloak and didn't talk on your way over."

The three friends exchanged uncertain looks, stepping in to close the door. "We don't all fit under the invisibility cloak, and we checked on the map, there was no one around to hear us," Ron said, belligerence mixing with uncertainty. The stranger grimaced.

"The portraits," he said, and they blinked at him. Portraits? "The portraits report everything back to the Headmaster," the man informed them.

"Um... Why is that a problem?" Hermione asked hesitantly, and the stranger huffed.

"Well, now he'll know that you were here, and probably also knows that you were meeting me, and that means that I'll have to sit through a round of questioning when I next see him; with you he'll just pull the information straight from your minds."

"Professor Dumbledore wouldn't use Legilimency on us!" Harry said loudly, fading into uncertainty when his future self merely gave him a level look. "...Would he?"

"He does it all the time, Harry," the man said evenly. "The twinkle in his eye is usually a sign of mild Legilimency. He uses it on everyone."

The trio exchanged uncertain looks again, and the stranger sighed. "Look, how about we sit down and talk everything through properly? If I have my way, all three of you will become members of the Order; it's idiotic to keep you out of the loop when you're such important figures to the Light." Gesturing at the other three armchairs, the man walked around and sat down in the armchair to the left. Ron was the first to move, and he sat down in the middle armchair; Harry took the armchair across from the stranger, and Hermione took the one next to him.

"You're a time traveler, then?" she asked, and received a nod in response. "How?"

The man shrugged with a wry laugh. "You know how trouble finds me, Hermione," he said with a crooked smile, and she couldn't help but return it. It was true, after all – trouble always found Harry.

"You said that you wanted us to become members of the Order," Ron said suddenly, and Harry nodded. "Yeah – not like there's any way Dumbledore will let us," he muttered darkly.

"Let me deal with Albus," the older version of Harry said, steel in his voice. "I'm not suggesting you go on missions," he said then, "just that you sit in on meetings, find out what's going on, and who's doing what. Frankly, I intend to finish this war before it can get properly started, and I'm not going to send you three on dangerous missions when there are things you can do in the castle that are just as important."

"Such as?" Harry asked warily. He had been ready to go on a rant about being treated like a little kid when the man said no missions, but it didn't sound like he planned on coddling them, either.

"The DA is a great idea," he gave Hermione a warm smile, "but it could be taken further. You may not believe me when I say this, but it would be a good idea to include the Slytherins." The expected uproar came, most vocally from the two boys, but even Hermione was sitting with a frown marring her face.

"Now, let me explain that. I learned nearly two years from now that quite a few of the Slytherins are under compulsion spells." Hermione gasped, but the boys just looked confused, and not placated in the least.

"You don't mean-?"

"Yes, Hermione – many of the Slytherins are under spells that force them to hate Muggleborns and Gryffindors, and some of them have spells that make them think they're superior to others. Malfoy is a git even without the spells, but at least he's an honest git," he smirked. "Severus, too – you know him as Professor Snape – was under a great deal of spells. He removed them when I pointed them out to him, but he will still be acting the same, since he's a spy."

"Snape's a bastard," Harry snarled, and future Harry just laughed.

"He just doesn't suffer fools gladly," he grinned, "but he's also a great man. With all the spells he was under, it's no surprise that he turned to the Death Eaters. What is amazing, and deserving your respect, is that he managed to turn to the Light and become a spy even under the influence of those spells. That he managed to save your life," he gestured at Harry, "repeatedly, even though he had several spells on him forcing him to hate you. Our mother was his best friend, you know?"

All three kids gaped at him, and he blinked. "Oh, right – I didn't find out about that until later."

"My Mum was SNAPE's best friend?" Harry looked almost ready to vomit. Future Harry sighed.

"Yes, Lily Evans was his best friend since before Hogwarts. They lived in the same neighborhood growing up, and managed to remain friends even though one was sorted into Gryffindor and the other into Slytherin. When you were born," he gestured at Harry, "Severus swore to protect you with his life should anything happen to her. We all know what happened soon after that," he said, his face perfectly blank.

"But – Snape?!"

"Yes, Harry," the man said, a faint note of exasperation creeping into his voice. "You don't know him – all you know is the role he was forced to play. Believe me, once this war is over you'll meet the true Severus Snape, and you'll understand how Lily Evans could be his best friend."

"You were friends in the future, then?" Hermione asked thoughtfully.

"Well," future Harry temporized, "not so much friends as... partners. We were the joint leaders of the Order after the Headmaster's death," he ignored their reactions to that revelation, "and we came to respect each other very much. He has a great sense of humor when you get to know him," he grinned.

"Wait, Professor Dumbledore dies?" Ron exclaimed.

Future Harry pinned him with a level gaze. "Do you know how old the man is, Ron?"

Ron hesitated, and Hermione got there first. "Professor Dumbledore is 120 years old," she answered promptly, and the man inclined his head.

"Is it then so surprising that the man should die? Especially in the middle of a war?"

"I suppose not," Ron muttered, though he still looked taken aback at the knowledge that their Headmaster was mortal.

"How did he die?" Harry asked quietly, looking more vulnerable than the other two had seen him in a long time. Future Harry just brushed the question aside, however.

"It doesn't matter; I don't intend to let him die the same way this time. I don't think he's very long for this world anyway, though," he said, his face not betraying how he felt about that.

"You're not very fond of Professor Dumbledore, are you?" Hermione asked, her gaze intent on him. To her surprise, the man laughed.

"You always were far too clever, Hermione," he said with a grin. "No, I'm not particularly fond of the Headmaster. Too many people died last time because of his inaction; I'm going to ensure that it doesn't happen this time around." The fierce look in his eyes unsettled Hermione, but she tried not to let it show on her face. This Harry was... hard. Where her Harry was friendly and open, this man was somewhat scary in his intensity.

"Did we die?" she asked softly, wondering whether that was why he was so hard. His face gave her all the answer she needed, and she dropped her gaze.

"I'm sorry," the man said, and they couldn't place the emotion he tried to keep out of his voice. Hermione looked up to find his eyes on her, and the way he was looking at her without seeming to see her had her reacting before she knew what she was doing. "We're safe now," she told him, sitting on his lap and folding him into her arms. His arms came up around her, and she felt a tremor run through his body, but if he was crying then he was doing it silently. Hesitantly she stroked his head, and he tightened his hold on her, as though assuring himself that she really was there.

Meanwhile, the two boys were communicating silently about the strange man. It was obvious that Hermione accepted him as an older version of Harry, but Harry didn't know how to feel about the man. They seemed so different. Ron shrugged; if there really was a war, then Harry would be in the middle of it, and he figured that that would change anyone. Harry glared back: It seemed like this future version wanted to keep them out of it entirely, and he wanted to DO something, damnit! Ron gave him an intent look, asking him whether he really wanted to be the leader of the Order, whether he wanted to kill people. Harry paled slightly and looked away sullenly. Seeing how his future self was clinging to Hermione, he realized that it wasn't all fun and games, and that his friends could die if he didn't man up. Straightening, he looked back at Ron and nodded slightly; his friend was right, of course. Ron touched his head, and Harry nodded. They would have to learn to protect their minds. Frowning, Harry mimed a beard, asking his friend how he felt about Dumbledore. Ron looked unsure and shrugged with one shoulder. He tipped his head in future Harry's direction, and Harry nodded. They would have to ask his future self about Dumbledore. They had the feeling that he was not just 'not very fond' of the Headmaster, and felt like the Professor must have done something that future Harry objected to.

Suddenly Harry's eyes widened. It couldn't be – the spells future Harry had said were on the Slytherins, who had cast those? He couldn't help but feel that there was a link between the Headmaster and the Slytherins. Then he paled, Ron shooting him a worried look. "He cast spells on us, didn't he," Harry said, and it was more statement than question. He couldn't see future Harry very well behind Hermione, but her words confirmed it for him.

"You stiffened," she said with false calm. "Harry's right, isn't he?"

Silence.

"What spells did he cast on us?" Harry demanded. "Spells for us to hate Slytherins?" He exchanged a look with Ron. What else?

"My restraint," Hermione said suddenly. "He hid that away, didn't he? I never threw myself into schoolwork so much before Hogwarts."

"My Slytherin side," Harry said, full of certainty. "The Sorting Hat wanted to sort me into Slytherin, and only didn't because I begged it to put me anywhere but there. That was Dumbledore's doing, wasn't it?" He quivered with suppressed anger. "And now I'm the perfect Gryffindor. Where did my Slytherin tendencies go?"

"My loyalty," Ron said quietly. "It comes and goes. Remember the Triwizard Tournament?" Oh yes, Harry remembered that all too well, and he shot his friend a forgiving look. It would explain a lot, if someone was meddling with their personalities.

"But why?" Hermione sounded lost. "Why would the Headmaster try to change us?"

"Let's get together with Snape and give him Veritaserum," Ron snorted. "You don't know why he did it, do you?"

"He shook his head," Hermione said. "Veritaserum sounds good to me. Harry, what else has he done to us?"

"Fealty potions," they heard his muffled voice.

"Keyed to Dumbledore," Harry growled. "You didn't want us to know, did you?"

"He shook his head again. Why not?" Low words that the boys couldn't make out, then – "Ah. He feared that we'd want to kill him."

The boys exchanged a wide-eyed look. "That's why you don't think Dumbledore will live for long; you'll kill him."

"Dursleys," they heard, and "Love potion keyed to Ginny. Sirius dead. Mind rape by Severus. Triwizard Tournament, Basilisk, Quirrel, Umbridge. Prophecy, dead parents, Sirius in Azkaban. Everything Dumbledore's fault."

"Oh Merlin, it all makes sense," Ron breathed. "But let's get the truth out of him before you kill him, yeah?"

"I can't believe we're talking so calmly about murdering our Headmaster," Hermione said weakly. "Shouldn't we have him arrested instead? Let everyone know the truth?"

"Let's not decide yet," future Harry said, finally loosening his hold on Hermione and giving her an apologetic smile. "Snake Face is the bigger threat at the moment; Dumbledore can wait." He pulled out his wand and waved it over Hermione, who gasped. "Those were the spells; I've lifted them. The potion will have to wear off on its own, and that won't happen while Dumbledore continues to add it to all the food, but that may be for the best." He waved his wand at Ron as he continued, "You will have to act the same around the Headmaster; Harry, I trust you to put your Slytherin side to use." One last wave, and the man put away his wand again. "He's dangerous," he said, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "I don't know his motivation, and that unsettles me. He's unpredictable. Don't take any chances. Don't discuss anything where there are portraits. If you're going somewhere and don't want Dumbledore to know, use the invisibility cloak. If it's missing, call for Dobby – I'll have to borrow it a few times, and he can fetch it for you if I'm not using it. Harry," he met his counterpart's eyes, "we will need to go to Gringotts together and get you emancipated. You'll be able to access all of the Potter vaults, and you'll never have to go back to the Dursleys. The blood wards were a lie anyway," he grimaced.

"If you need help, talk to Remus, Severus or me – we don't have the spells anymore, and have strong enough shields that Dumbledore can't see into our minds. Sirius, I'm afraid, is too unpredictable to take the spells off of; I think he'd go ahead and try to kill Dumbledore, and he wouldn't stand a chance." Gently pushing Hermione off his lap, he stood. "Let me teach you a spell to hide this conversation, and then you three will have to come up with something to take its place so that when Dumbledore looks he thinks you were doing that. Plan the next DA meeting, or duel or something; when you go back to Gryffindor Tower you should use the cloak, or have Dobby pop you over. He's bound to me now – he's trustworthy." At Hermione's look he laughed. "Don't worry, I'm paying him and he has one day off a month. He's not a slave, though we will have to have a more in depth conversation later, preferably with a regular house elf present. Dobby is rather an oddity," he said fondly.

"Now then, the spell..."

A/N: There we go, the first appearance of the Golden Trio! Timetravel!Harry ended up telling them more than he meant to, but did we really expect him to be able to keep secrets from his closest friends (even if they're younger versions)? In the next chapter younger Harry meets Snape for the first time without spells clouding both of their judgments…


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE:

The next day Harry had 'Remedial Potions', and as he made his way down to the dungeons he considered the previous evening's happenings. He had barely been able to think of anything else all day, and he felt the only reason why Hermione didn't scold him for his inattention was that she was preoccupied with it, too.

Knocking on the heavy wood door, he waited until the harsh voice called "Enter," before opening it. To his surprise, Professor Dumbledore was there, apparently having a conversation with the Potions Master.

"Ah, Harry," he said benevolently, and Harry gave a wan smile.

"How are you, Professor?" he asked civilly, noting that the Headmaster's eyes were twinkling and looking away to meet dark eyes instead. "Professor Snape," he greeted, jerkily inclining his head to the professor. "Am I early?" He knew full well that he wasn't, and hoped that Snape would take the opening – and he did.

"I doubt that you are even capable of arriving early to an appointment, Potter," the man sneered. "We will begin our lesson as soon as the Headmaster leaves. I suggest you sit and read chapter ten of this book," Snape said curtly, levitating a book onto a chair along the wall. "You were saying, Headmaster?"

Harry set his bag down beside the chair and picked up the book, reading the title as he sat down. It was a book on meditation and mental health. Opening it to chapter ten, Harry pretended to focus on the description of mind palaces while trying to listen in on the professors' conversation. They seemed to be discussing potions for the infirmary, and Harry was surprised to discover that Snape brewed almost the entire stock. His respect for the man went up when he realized that all the potions Madam Pompfrey had given him over the years had been brewed by this surly man. Eventually he decided that the conversation wasn't important and focused fully on the text, fully expecting Snape to quiz him on it afterwards. To his surprise, it turned out to be rather interesting, and Harry was soon immersed in the book, only occasionally listening in to the conversation to make sure that they weren't discussing anything important.

It didn't take much longer for Dumbledore to leave – though not before asking Harry a question or two while holding twinkling eye contact – and then Harry was alone with Snape.

An awkward silence fell while the two sized each other up, each finding that the other seemed different now.

"Can I speak freely, sir?" Harry asked, willfully suppressing the 'uh...' that had wanted to escape in front of his question.

Snape flicked his wrist once, then said, "You may." His expression didn't betray any of his thoughts, and suddenly instead of finding that hateful Harry found it admirable. Here was a man with full control over what he revealed to others.

"Ron, Hermione and I talked to my future self last night," he said promptly, "and he removed the spells from us." Harry hesitated, then ploughed on, "I wanted to apologize for the past few years, sir."

Snape's face remained perfectly expressionless for a full minute, during which Harry forced himself not to fidget – and then he smirked. "I never thought I'd live to see the day when a Potter apologizes to me," he drawled, his eyes intent. "The apology is accepted; although I have been led to believe that it is another who should apologize in your stead."

Harry's face darkened. "He has a lot to answer for," he said as levelly as he could. He had decided to show this man that he was not just the Gryffindor Golden Boy, who let his emotions dominate his actions, but also a Slytherin capable of keeping his emotions in check.

"Indeed." Although the word was spoken mildly, Harry thought he saw a glint of something dangerous in the Potions Master's eyes before the man turned away. "We will start from the beginning. I have here a set of books that I suggest you and the rest of the Golden Trio," he sneered the term, "read thoroughly." Pushing the set of books forward, the Potions Master fixed him with a fathomless look. "I would apologize for my treatment of you, but as in your case, another was responsible for my actions. Besides," he smirked, "you will learn that a Slytherin never apologizes."

"Yes, sir," Harry said, unable to keep a grin from his face. Grabbing his bag and the book Snape had given him to read, he moved forward to the desk. "Ron was wondering whether you'd be interested in a round of Veritaserum with our esteemed Headmaster," he said mildly as he set down his things; when he looked up he saw a satisfied smirk on the Potions Master's face.

"I may be," he replied just as mildly, and Harry smiled mischievously as they settled down for their first real lesson.

Meanwhile, another Harry was considering how to get at the Horcruxes. Hufflepuff's Cup was in the Lestrange vault, and as their closest relatives were the Blacks, the vault would go to the House of Black after their deaths. They would be the first Death Eaters to die when the Order started picking off the Inner Circle, Harry decided.

Then, there was the ring that had sped Dumbledore towards death in the other timeline. The question was whether to let Dumbledore fall for it again or whether to deal with it himself... He'd deal with that when he discussed the Horcruxes with the Headmaster; if he insisted to tag along then Harry wouldn't try hard to persuade him otherwise, and if he ended up putting on the ring again, well, Harry tried to persuade him not to join him... Harry grinned and moved on to the next one.

Nagini. Truth was that Severus would not be able to remain a spy for much longer if they were going to start picking off Death Eaters, and if Harry went back it would be to kill Snake Face, not to play the faithful follower. If he could deal with the remaining Horcruxes and as many Death Eaters as possible before he and Severus were summoned, then they could possibly deal with both Nagini and Snake Face at the same time... It would be an awfully close time frame to get that all done before Friday, though, seeing as it was already Tuesday evening... Harry grimaced. _Okay; hold off on Death Eater assassinations until after the next summons. Focus on the Horcruxes; bargain with the goblins to get the Cup if necessary. After next summons, kill as many Death Eaters as possible as quickly as possible, and deal with snake and Snake Face at following summons. _He couldn't help but feel that he was missing something, however, and it was with a heavy heart that he admitted to himself what it was that gave him pause.

Standing and walking into his bedroom, Harry crouched to rifle through the suitcase Dobby had brought him from the Black vault. He was sure that the scroll had been there in the other timeline...

A quarter hour later he had found the scroll he needed - the one with a spell that indicated whether an object was a Horcrux or not. Practicing until he was fairly sure that he had it right, Harry took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing..._ Casting the spell at his head, Harry held his breath – and cursed violently when a red light flashed.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

Harry jumped when a loud pop sounded behind him; spinning around, he saw Dobby holding future Harry's hand. The man didn't even seem to notice him, however – his eyes were fixed on Professor Snape, and while his face was impassive the eyes burned with emotions more intense than Harry had ever seen in one man's face.

"I need to speak with Severus," the man said intently, and recognizing the dismissal for what it was Harry scrambled to gather his books.

"Thank you for the lesson, Professor," he stopped to say before exiting hurriedly. He knew when he was unwanted, and his presence was most definitely unwanted now.

"Did you know?" Harry demanded as soon as the door had closed behind his younger self. Raising powerful privacy wards with a few flicks of his wrist, he advanced on the older wizard. Dobby knew to leave then.

"Know what, Potter?" Severus asked curtly, immediately on the defensive as he rose.

"That I'm a Horcrux," Harry snarled. Several jars burst with the force of his anger, and Severus paled.

"That's possible?" the Potions Master asked weakly, looking like he was about to vomit. That more than anything convinced Harry that he didn't know, though he couldn't help but wonder whether Severus in the future had known. _He would have told me,_ Harry insisted, but his anger didn't abate.

"Fucking Dumbledore!" he roared, slamming his magic down in the center of the room, smashing the stones into tiny pieces. _It's fortunate that we're in the dungeons,_ Harry noted with a small part of his brain. Sending his magic into the ground, he restored the floor to its previous state, then smashed it again, cursing Dumbledore's name, Voldemort's incompetence, and life in general as he alternatively smashed and restored the floor. Eventually he felt that he had expressed his anger enough to let it go, and restored the floor one last time before sinking into the chair Harry had vacated. "Fuck my life," he whispered, dropping his head into his hands.

"That was an interesting form of anger management," Severus stated, and Harry wondered whether anyone else would have noticed the faint edge to his voice. Harry simply laughed humorlessly in response.

"I have to die," he said simply.

"Why?"

Harry jerked his head up to snarl at Severus, "Because otherwise fucking Voldemort can't fucking die, that's why!"

Severus just held his angry gaze with level eyes, appearing perfectly calm as he said, "Even if there is no ritual to remove a Horcrux from a vessel without harming it – which I doubt – there is still the option of simply putting the Dark Lord into stasis until you die of natural causes."

Harry stared at the taller man in shock – then laughed, the tension draining from him suddenly. "God, I love you," he said earnestly, ignoring the other man's reaction. Standing, he leaned over and clasped the Potions Master's hand, noting absently that it was quite cold. "Sorry about the jars. I'm going to go speak to the goblins; Hermione looked through the entire Hogwarts library in the other timeline and most of the Black library as well, but we never asked any other races. I know how busy you are, but if you could find a spare minute to look into possibilities, I would be most grateful." With a smile Harry called Dobby and popped away, leaving a stunned Potions Master behind.

OoOoO

Dobby popped them directly into the entrance hall of Gringotts, and Harry saw that most of the tellers were empty. Walking up to one teller and ignoring the few other customers he greeted the goblin there.

"Good evening, Warrior." It was amazing, what all one could learn from books – or, well, from Hermione. "I have come to discuss a Dark item residing in the Lestrange vault."

The goblin gave him a piercing look. "Name?"

"Harry James Potter-Black," Harry said, pitching his voice low but speaking with the authority the name gave him. The goblin gave him another piercing look before waving to another goblin, never taking his eyes off the human.

"Take the customer to Scholar Krillak," he ordered curtly, and Harry laid his fist over his heart once in the goblin salute before following the second goblin. They went down several long marble hallways before the goblin stopped before a large door and pushed it open without knocking. At the goblin's sign Harry stepped inside, letting the door close behind him.

"Scholar Krillak?" he asked, placing his fist over his heart when the goblin looked up from his notes. "My name is Harry James Potter-Black."

"Welcome, Mister Potter-Black," the goblin replied, saluting him in turn. "How can I be of assistance?" Harry wondered whether all goblins learned that piercing look in school, or whether it was simply a trait of their race.

"There is a Horcrux in the Lestrange vault," he said without further ado – another thing Hermione had told him about goblins. Never dance around the topic, for they don't appreciate small talk.

The goblin's eyebrows rose. "A Horcrux, indeed?"

Harry nodded. "The Cup of Hufflepuff," he supplied.

"And this is a care of yours how..?"

"The Horcrux is Voldemort's."

"Ah." Turning, the goblin barked out a phrase in the directing of the side door. "It will be checked momentarily. Is there anything else?"

"Yes; I was wondering whether you know of a way to remove a soul piece from a vessel without harming the vessel itself."

The goblin gave him that piercing look again, weighing his words before saying, "There is."

"Is it a service the goblins offer?" Harry refrained from adding that he would pay – of course a human would pay for anything the goblins did; no need to let them know how much he wanted this.

"It could be," the goblin temporized, and Harry realized that he couldn't get out of it after all.

"I am willing to pay a thousand galleons for such a service."

"No less than five thousand galleons would be acceptable for such a service," the goblin argued, and Harry heaved an inner sigh of relief. Five thousand was far less than he had expected; after all, he had that much in the trust vault alone.

"One thousand five hundred," he haggled anyway, knowing now that five thousand was their insultingly high offer. And so they haggled, settling on the amount of three thousand forty galleons just as the side door opened and a goblin entered with a canvas bag. The two goblins traded a few words before the second goblin placed the bag on the scholar's desk and left.

Opening the bag to reveal Hufflepuff's Cup, the goblin said, "We can of course not simply give you an item from another's vault," and another round of bargaining began.

OoOoO

"Excellent," Harry said, signing the check that authorized the removal of several thousand galleons from his vault. Setting the quill aside, he leaned back in his chair. "Now, about the ritual to remove a soul piece from a vessel – could you summarize the procedure for me?" A few minutes later he nodded, posing one more question. "Would it be safe for a human to undertake?"

The goblin shot him a sharp look, and Harry elaborated. "No, I don't mean for a human to lead the ritual – I mean for a human as the vessel containing a foreign soul piece."

Scholar Krillak's eyes darted to Harry's forehead, and the wizard nodded. "You understand my meaning."

"Yes, it would be possible," the goblin replied grudgingly, understanding now that he could have asked for a lot more than three thousand forty galleons. Unfortunately for him, it was already too late, for Harry had signed a check for both the cost of the cup and the ritual, letting the goblin think that the ritual was for the cup. Since he had already destroyed both Slytherin's and Ravenclaw's items, Harry felt it only fair to destroy Hufflepuff's as well, though he would have had the goblins cleanse all of the Founders' items had he known sooner. He had the money to pay for it, after all.

"Excellent. I would like to undertake the ritual at your earliest convenience," Harry said, making it clear with his tone that he expected to undergo the ritual as soon as possible. "If my counterpart still has the soul piece in him after I have undergone the ritual, then I will request your services again – for the same price, of course."

"Of course," the goblin said through gritted teeth. Goblins both respected and loathed a human who could haggle properly.

"That is all my business for today," Harry said, standing and saluting the goblin. "If I have not received notice within the week I will return on Sunday evening for the ritual. I may be indisposed on either Friday or Saturday evening. Good evening to you, Scholar Krillak."


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

Harry woke up the next day feeling pretty okay with life. After returning from the bank he had promptly destroyed Hufflepuff's Cup and gone to inform Severus of the developments, thanking him for his support earlier that day. Severus had simply given him an inscrutable look and said, "Trust a Potter to only think of heroics instead of using his brain," leaving Harry laughing. He laughed a lot more now than he had in the future – he had rarely had the energy for it then, just as Severus had eventually lost most of his biting humor, resorting to retorts that required less effort. Harry felt a far stronger connection to this younger Potions Master, who was so similar and yet so different from the man he had come to know. He felt that they were almost friends, and that made him inexplicably happy.

"Dobby! Breakfast please," he grinned at his friend. Why not have breakfast in bed for once, after all? The last time he had done it was on his nineteenth Birthday, when Daphne had-

Harry promptly got out of bed, his smile but a faint memory. _She's alive here, _he remembered, and realized in the same breath that she would never be his. He was too different now. If she ever was Daphne Potter-Black again, it would be because she married his counterpart.

It was a far more subdued man that sat down to breakfast.

OoOoO

A knock on his front door had Harry looking up from the rest of his breakfast; he had only eaten half before starting to push the rest around his plate, sinking into memories of another time.

"Who is it?" he called, standing and walking to the door.

"It is I," came the smooth voice of the Potions Master, and Harry opened the door before he could fall into the old routine of asking a question to check Snape's identity. "I have brought the potions you asked for," he said, and Harry blinked once in surprise. What potions? Showing the man into the living room, he sat down at the newly vacated seat, eyeing the potion vials curiously.

"I did not intend to interrupt your breakfast," Severus said then, remaining standing. "I can return later-"

"No, no," Harry waved his hand, "I was done eating anyway; please sit. What potions are these?"

Sinking down onto the free seat across the table, Severus placed the vials on the table. "Nutrient potion, Strengthening potion, Blood-replenishing potion and Dreamless Sleep," he said, pointing to the vials in order. Harry immediately understood their purpose: Strengthening and Blood-replenishing potion for before and after the goblin ritual, Nutrient potion because he was far too thin, and Dreamless Sleep because even though he hadn't given it a single thought yet, Severus had realized that eventually his horrific nightmares would return. He was still sleeping off the fatigue from the future, but once he began sleeping normally nightmares would be omnipresent.

"Why Severus, one could almost think you care," Harry teased gently, knowing that Slytherins tended to prefer thanks and apologies wrapped up in unrelated remarks. Looking up to meet the dark eyes, he hid his surprise at the warmth in them as Severus smirked and simply replied, "Indeed."

Reaching over the table, Harry snagged the vial of Nutrient potion and downed it in one go, knowing that it should be drunk after each meal. "The vials are charmed to refill when stoppered," Severus supplied, and Harry shot him a thankful smile.

"Brilliant. You're a genius," he said, letting his Gryffindor nature shine through. Severus smirked once more. "Another thing I had never expected to hear from a Potter."

"Oh? What was the first thing?"

Severus hummed. "Yesterday Potter apologized for the past few years. It was... unexpected."

"Ah yes," Harry laughed, "our Gryffindor side typically rears its head when it comes to apologies and thanks. We're not conditioned to the Slytherin apology-wrapped-in-an-insult," he grinned, and to his surprise Severus chuckled.

"And yet I think you could manage it if you put your mind to it," he drawled.

"I do my best," Harry smirked. "Can I offer you anything? A cup of tea?"

Severus hesitated. "A cup of coffee perhaps," he conceded. "I only have a few minutes to spare before I am required to go teach the bumbling idiots." Harry chuckled as he asked Dobby for a cup of coffee for Professor Snape.

"If you could do anything at all, without having to worry about money or responsibilities or what others would think, what would it be?" Harry asked curiously, fixing himself another cup of tea. Looking up, he found Severus earnestly considering the question.

"I believe I would begin by traveling the world, visiting libraries, potions conferences and vineyards, eventually settling down to work on potions development. Indeed, I do not know if I would ever settle down in one place; it would appeal to me to spend varying amounts of time in different places, taking my research with me wherever I go." Severus accepted the cup of coffee from Dobby with a nod, blowing on it to help it cool.

"Alone, or with company?" The truth was that Harry found Severus' wish quite appealing; he had long wanted to see more of the world.

"…I would not be averse to company," Severus replied carefully, raising his cup to his lips. A few days ago he would have told anyone who asked that he preferred solitude over anyone's company, but something about this man intrigued him, and his presence was somehow… gratifying. He was also the only person who laughed at his remarks, which was… pleasant.

"Once this war is over I would love to go see a bit more of the world," Harry smiled. "Is there any particular research you'd like to do?"

"I would be interested in developing a potion that enables the drinker to speak Parseltongue," Severus replied, gratified when his companion oohed.

"That would be awesome!" Harry enthused. "Bill once told me that a lot of Egyptian tombs have Parseltongue inscriptions or wards that make life very difficult for curse breakers. I'm sure they would pay large amounts of money for such a potion; Bill was forever trying to get me to promise to go into curse-breaking after the war," Harry laughed, though a hint of sadness colored the sound.

"Weasley may have had a point," Severus said, contemplating the young man before him. "I think you may be well-suited for curse breaking. It can also involve a lot of traveling," he said, not quite teasing, but almost.

"No way," Harry laughed, "Severus Snape, agreeing with a Weasley? Unheard of!"

"Perhaps I shall have Poppy check my mental health," Severus agreed with a smirk, draining the last of his coffee to the sound of Potter's laughter. Standing, he tried to keep the regret out of his voice as he said drily, "Unfortunately, the bumbling idiots beckon, and I must be off. Perhaps the next time you will join me and I will introduce you to real coffee." _In other words, 'thank you for the coffee, and I invite you to join me in my quarters soon,' _Harry translated with a mental smirk. _Slytherins._

"It would be my pleasure," Harry replied, standing and giving Severus his hand. "Don't treat the 'bumbling idiots' too harshly," he grinned.

"I will endeavor not to make any of them cry this lesson," Severus deadpanned, releasing Potter's hand and making his way to the door. For some reason the sound of Potter's laughter behind him raised his spirits, and he could still feel the man's warm hand in his when he finally reached the Potions classroom.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

Harry finished the rest of his tea with a smile. He didn't know why he got along so well with this time's Severus, but he wasn't about to question his good luck when he was just glad to have people who understood him. Remus was almost a father to Harry – even though this time's Remus was younger than his time's, the relationship felt the same – but Severus was rapidly becoming Harry's closest friend. He would never share the same relationship he had once had with Ron and Hermione, after all, and Daphne was completely out of his reach, so he was happy that Severus had accepted him so quickly. It was with a happy sigh that Harry stood, deciding that now was as good a time as any to deal with the ring Horcrux.

Heading towards the Headmaster's office, Harry hummed a little tune to himself, wishing that he didn't have a Basilisk fang in his pocket, since otherwise he could have put his hands in his pockets.

It didn't take long for him to reach the stone gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office, and he hissed **Open** at it, grinning at the thought that he should let Severus know that all of Hogwarts was open to a Parselmouth. The gargoyle obediently leaped aside, and Harry thanked it as he headed up the spiral staircase. Knocking twice on the door, he pushed it open as soon as the Headmaster's voice sounded.

"Hi, Albus," Harry sang, in ridiculously high spirits. "I came to ask for the location of the first Horcrux you went after in the other timeline," he said cheerfully.

"Ah, I assume you mean the Gaunt house," Dumbledore said, rising. "We can go right away, my boy."

"Is that where the graveyard is that I was taken to in third year?" Harry asked, tipping his head in thought. There had definitely been the name 'Riddle' on several graves, but he seemed to remember a 'Gaunt' as well…

"I believe so," Dumbledore confirmed, and Harry smiled at him.

"Then I can go by myself, thanks!"

"I will accompany you," the old man said as Harry was already turning to go, and Harry turned back with a reluctant expression.

"But Albus, when you came back from there you had that cursed hand; I do think it would be better if I went alone…"

The mention of the curse seemed to give the Headmaster pause, but then he said benevolently, "Even so, I would feel better knowing that I had your back, Harry." His eyes twinkled slightly, but Harry knew that he wouldn't be able to see behind his concerned act.

"Well, if you're sure…" he said hesitantly, and at the Headmaster's smiling nod he shrugged. "Okay then; I suppose you know best. Shall we walk to the apparition point?"

"After you, my boy," Dumbledore gestured for Harry to precede him, and Harry gave him a smile before turning and heading out first. His back itched, but he knew that the rings he wore would protect him from most minor spells – including compulsions. Fortunately, Dumbledore didn't try anything, and they made meaningless small talk on their way through the castle; Harry made a comment about a certain Halloween when they passed by the bathroom where he had killed a troll in his first year, and they continued reminiscing about Harry's school years until they reached the school gates.

"Here, let me side-along apparate you," Dumbledore said, offering his arm to Harry with a twinkle.

"Sure!" Harry agreed, still resolutely holding on to the happiness of the morning as he took the Headmaster's arm.

"And off we go," the old man said, and Harry was oddly reminded of the Wizard of Oz, which he remembered reading in primary school. Then the unpleasant sensation of side-along apparition swept him away, lasting a second or two before they materialized with a muted crack.

Harry stumbled slightly, accepting Dumbledore's steadying hand and muttering, "I hate side-along apparition…"

"I quite understand," Dumbledore smiled, "it is a rather unpleasant sensation."

Straightening, Harry took a look around. "Man, this is not a pretty neighborhood. What's this place called?"

"Little Hangledon," the Headmaster replied sadly. "I believe that there to be the residence we need," he added, extending a gnarled hand to point out a rather decrepit house. Harry sighed.

"Off we go, then."

It took them very little time to find the object of their search; it practically radiated Dark magic. As soon as they had dealt with the wards surrounding the ring Harry saw a strange look enter Dumbledore's eye, and hid a smirk. _Now let's see what happens…_

"Let me just check that we didn't miss any," Harry murmured, raising his wand and beginning to cast a detection spell when Dumbledore reached out a trembling hand, his eyes wide. "Don't touch it!" Harry exclaimed, but he was – of course – too late, for Dumbledore had already gripped the ring and slipped it onto his hand. A flash of pure satisfaction coursed through Harry when the old man immediately cried out in pain, clutching his hand to his chest.

"Take off the ring!" Harry cried, reaching out to grip the Headmaster's shoulder. With a soft moan of pain Dumbledore pulled the ring off his finger and dropped it to the ground, where Harry promptly struck it with his Basilisk fang. A shrill scream filled the air, and Harry pulled the Headmaster away, hurriedly pocketing the fang and banishing the remains of the ring before apparating them both to Hogwarts.

"Hang in there, sir – I'll get you to Poppy and fetch Severus right away," he said, trying to hurry the old man along the path up to the school. "What were you thinking?" he asked, forcing as much worry into his voice as he could. "I had warned you about the ring – whatever made you put it on?"

"I… was a fool," the man said weakly. "Sorely tempted…"

"By what?" Harry questioned with a frown. He never had found out why the Headmaster had put on that ring.

"Youthful dreams," Dumbledore coughed. "No matter. I should have listened to you, my boy…" Harry looked at the man with a worried frown. _Was that ring a special artefact? _he wondered, then shook his head, supporting the old man more firmly. It hardly mattered now that it was destroyed, after all; it probably only held worth to Dumbledore and Snake Face anyhow, and if that was the case then good riddance, in his opinion.

"Just a bit further," he murmured to the man who was leaning ever more heavily on his arm. "Nearly there…"

Then they entered the Entrance Hall, and Harry promptly called for Dobby. "Tell Professor Snape to meet us in the Infirmary immediately," he instructed his house elf. "The Headmaster is injured and needs immediate attention." Dobby cast the Headmaster a wide-eyed look before popping away, leaving Harry to practically drag the old man to the Infirmary.

They had barely made it there when Severus burst into the room, a vial of green liquid in one hand and his wand in the other. Harry shot him a meaningful look when their eyes met, and called loudly for Poppy, who hurried over immediately and gasped at the sight of her employer.

"Albus!" she cried, rushing over and helping Harry to lay him on a bed. "What happened?" she asked him.

"Cursed ring," Harry replied worriedly, stepping aside to make room for Severus. "Don't know what he was thinking, putting it on…"

"Drink this for me, Albus," Severus said urgently, holding the uncorked vial to the Headmaster's lips and helping him drink it. He then took a closer look at Dumbledore's hand and hissed. "There isn't much I can do," he said lowly, waving his wand over the already black digits in complex patterns. "I can perhaps keep it contained for a time, but not for more than a month, and then it will spread rapidly." His brow was creased in concentration.

"Do what you can, Severus; any time you can give me I will take gladly," the old man said weakly, closing his eyes as the potion he had drunk took effect, knocking him out cold. Severus cast Harry an unreadable glance before turning back to the blackening hand, casting spells in an attempt to contain the curse to the hand of the wizard.

"What happened?" Poppy asked Harry, clearly feeling helpless in the face of the Dark curse.

Harry cast several privacy wards before replying, giving her a look that told her that he expected her to hide the events of the day with the spell he had taught her so recently. "We went to destroy one of Snake Face's Horcruxes, and it turned out to be a heavily protected ring. We had just taken down all the wards and I was about to cast a last detection spell when Albus reached out and before I could stop him he slipped the ring onto his finger. The curse took effect immediately." Harry shivered, but Poppy didn't recognize it for a shiver of pleasure. "As soon as he got the ring off his finger I destroyed it and brought him back to Hogwarts; I'm just sorry that I didn't stop him in time…" Harry lowered his head to hide his face, for he couldn't let her see the flash of satisfaction that spread across his face for a split-second. Let her think he was ashamed.

"You did what you could," Poppy reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's a terrible end for such a great wizard, though…"

Harry just nodded, keeping his face turned to the ground. _Great wizard indeed._

"I can do no more," Severus broke the silence, standing and pocketing his wand in one smooth movement. Harry cast a look at the sleeping wizard, and felt a thrill of satisfaction when he saw that the curse had reached halfway up Dumbledore's arm. Severus clearly hadn't tried as hard this time around as he had last time; he had also said that he could only contain the curse for a month, when in the other timeline he had guaranteed Dumbledore another year of life.

Not trusting himself to say anything in Poppy's presence, Harry silently followed Severus out of the Hospital Wing and down to the Potions Master's quarters. Only when they were safely in the older man's living room did he let a huge grin spread across his face. Turning to his companion, he found a feral grin curving the thin lips.

"A drink for celebration?" the man suggested smoothly, and Harry whooped indecorously.

"Ding, dong, the bastard will die," he sang in terrible parody of The Wizard of Oz as he skipped over to the couch and sank down in his favorite spot. "Finally!"

"I cannot help but agree; we have suffered too much under that man to regret his slow and agonizing death even one bit," Severus replied, drawing out the words 'slow and agonizing' with relish as he poured two liberal glasses of brandy.

"It's at times like this that I wonder if I'm going Dark," Harry said, turning to look at his companion with the huge grin firmly in place.

"Oh, please," Severus scoffed, setting down the bottle and handing Harry one glass. "As if any Potter is capable of going Dark."

"Oh, you'd be surprised at the things this Potter can do," Harry said, his eyes darkening. The grin suddenly seemed far more dangerous than celebratory, and Severus felt a shiver run down his spine. It wasn't a shiver of fear, but Severus couldn't place the feeling…

"To an opponent skillfully brought to his knees," Severus said, raising his glass and holding Harry's gaze.

"To an opponent skillfully brought to his knees," Harry echoed, his eyes never leaving the Potions Master's as he clinked his glass against the other man's. Tipping back the glass, Harry drank the contents in one go. Severus raised his eyebrows and followed suit although the amount had been a good two fingers in a rather wide glass, exhaling heavily at the end of it.

"Well done back there, by the way," Harry said, smirking at Severus.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Potter," Severus said blandly, accepting the glass from his guest and going to pour them another finger of brandy. Behind his back he heard Potter snort.

"What was the green potion? I do hope it's something painful," Harry said, and Severus turned back with a smirk.

"I don't know what you mean; it's a simple potion to maximize all sensations…" Harry burst into delighted laughter, and Severus couldn't contain his grin any longer.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again – you're a genius, Severus. An evil one, to be sure, but a genius nonetheless." Harry raised his glass in a toast and said with a glint in his eye, "To a long and successful partnership." Severus echoed the toast, and they held eye contact once more as they knocked back their drinks.

Harry sighed contentedly, leaning back against the couch, his half-lidded eyes not leaving Severus' face. And then, quite suddenly, Severus realized what the shiver had been that he had felt before. Arousal.

One blink was all that outwardly betrayed his surprise, and he was thankful for all the years of strict control over his expression, for Potter noticed nothing untoward in his face. Trying to cover his realization, Severus sighed. "Unfortunately, I still have classes to teach," he drawled, and Harry laughed.

"Poor dog," he snorted. "Though I don't know who is more unfortunate – you or the students that have to brave your class now…"

"Brat," Severus said, his usual venom sadly absent, and tried not to look at the younger man's lips when they stretched into a grin.

"Yep, that's me," Harry grinned wickedly as he hoisted himself up off the couch. "But fine, since you're going to be all responsible I guess I'll get out of your hair," he said agreeably, giving the Potions Master a look over his shoulder as he walked towards the door. "Perhaps you'll join me for dinner, and we can continue our discussion from this morning?"

"Perhaps," Severus replied noncommittally, strangely wanting the man to both leave and stay.

"Great. Have fun with the – what was it – 'blistering fools'?"

"Bumbling idiots," Severus supplied drily, and Harry left with that laugh that the Potions Master was rapidly getting far too used to. As soon as the entrance had closed behind the raven-haired man Severus dropped his head into his hands and groaned. He was attracted to bloody Harry Potter-Black.

A/N: Oh hoooo, first sign of potential Harry/Severus! Here we go…


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

It was amazing how distracting such a revelation could be, Severus decided as he tried to pay attention to his class. _He's straight; there's no point dwelling on someone you can't have, _he told himself. _He was married to Greengrass, for pity's sake! _Even so his thoughts kept coming back to the laughing man with a single-mindedness that typically served him well but currently made him want to curse.

Scowling, he yanked Longbottom's arm away from the cauldron before he could add the sweetroot. "Your incompetence reaches new heights every time you step into this classroom, Longbottom," he sneered. "Or are you actually attempting to kill us all? Twenty points from Gryffindor," he hissed. "Add the hornbeam quickly, lest I give you a zero for yet another potion."

Sweeping on, he paused by Potter's table to inspect the potions of the Golden Trio. Granger's was near-perfect, of course; Potter's was acceptable, and Weasley seemed to be managing better than Longbottom, at least. "You will stay after class, Potter," he ordered spontaneously. "Although it appears that your lessons in remedial potions," he drawled, "are doing you some good, you still have a long way to go. Weasley, you will stay behind as well." Not waiting to see their reactions, he moved on to the next table.

OoOoO

"You wanted to speak with us, sir?" Severus looked up to see Potter and Weasley standing in front of his desk – Granger was, as expected, still slowly putting away her things.

"Granger, shut the door and join us," the Professor instructed, and waited until all three of them were in front of his desk before speaking. "You have learned the 'Abscondite' spell?" he checked, naming the spell the time traveler had taught the Order. At their nods he continued, "You will hide this conversation. Earlier this morning Mister Potter-Black and Professor Dumbledore went to destroy an artifact important to the Dark Lord; during this mission the Headmaster was struck by a curse that ensures a very painful death." None of the students seemed at all surprised, though Potter seemed to be wrestling with the fealty potion – he had been drugged most strongly, after all. "I managed to slow the exposure to the curse, and the Headmaster should enjoy another month of life before the curse kills him. I will arrange for a meeting within the month so that we may hear the Headmaster's instructions and plans." _In other words, let's question him under Veritaserum,_ all three students understood, and satisfied smiles curved their lips.

"That is all."

"Thank you, Professor," Granger said, pulling out her wand. The two boys mimicked her movement, and soon all three had apparently successfully cast the 'Abscondite' spell.

"You wanted to speak with us, sir?" Potter asked, acting as though the conversation had never happened, and Severus nodded approvingly.

"I believe I will include Weasley in your remedial potions lessons, Potter," he sneered, "since his incompetence is even greater than yours. Granger, I do not remember asking you to stay behind," he shot her a sharp look.

"Ah – sorry, Professor," the girl stuttered, backing away and stuffing the last of her things into her bag. Watching her with sharp eyes, Severus informed the boys, "You will come to my office at the regular times. Dismissed."

"Sir-" Potter had the temerity to begin, and Severus's eyes snapped to him. The foolish Gryffindor ploughed on, however. "Shouldn't Neville join us too? I mean, he's even worse than Ron..."

"Longbottom is a hopeless case, Potter," Severus narrowed his eyes, "as I am sure you know. Do not question me again."

"Yes, sir," Potter replied stiffly.

"Leave." All three students scrambled to exit his classroom, and Severus waited until they had left before dropping his head into his hands. He had a headache.

OoOoO

By silent agreement the three friends spent the next lesson – History of Magic – reading the books Professor Snape had lent Harry. Ron was perfectly aware of the fact that Professor Snape would have absolutely no patience with him, and as the next lesson was the following evening he would do his very best to be prepared. The other students would be shocked to see Ron Weasley studiously reading a book that evening in the common room, but they'd probably assume that Hermione bullied him into it, so it was all good.

Harry, meanwhile, was struggling with conflicting emotions. One part of him was happy to hear of the Headmaster's injury, but another part of him screamed out that Professor Dumbledore didn't deserve to die; that he was a great man and that they needed him. Harry was sure that that voice came from the fealty potion he was apparently drugged with, but that made it no easier to combat. Eventually he gave up and concentrated fully on his book, resolving to ask Professor Snape for a potion or spell to get rid of the fealty potion.

Hermione was for once completely disregarding the ghost's lecture, focusing instead on the text on how to center yourself and calm your mind. She understood why Professor Snape couldn't teach her as well, and she knew that the boys would be of little help, so the books would have to do. Already she had a foot of notes; she had decided that the best way to learn this would be to treat it as a special assignment for a very strict teacher. _Which it is, really,_ she smiled, jotting down another note.

OoOoO

Harry, meanwhile, was startled out of his thoughts by an owl tapping at the window. Letting the animal in, he relieved it of its burden, and noted with a grin that it was a letter from Gringotts. "Would you like some water?" he offered the animal, but it simply flew away. "Guess not, then."

Cracking the seal, Harry opened the scroll and read it quickly. Tucking it into his trouser pants, he downed the vial of Strengthening potion and slipped the vial of Blood-replenishing potion in beside the scroll. It was time to go to Gringotts.

OoOoO

Three hours later Harry reappeared in his living room and promptly collapsed to the ground, not even registering Dobby's words until a man's voice asked, "Potter, what the devil happened to you?", prompting a spike of pain to pierce Harry's skull.

"Motherfucking headache of all headaches," Harry slurred, feeling like his skull was shrinking, his brain expanding, and a thousand nails being rammed into his head. He was vaguely aware of strong hands rolling him over and wiping the blood from his forehead, hissing at the torn open scar. "You took the Blood-replenishing potion?" Harry wasn't sure whether he managed to reply or not, but then the voice said, "Drink this," and a vial was pressed to his lips. Doing his best to follow the order even as his head was splitting in two, Harry swallowed the potion – and slowly his headache seemed to dissipate, until it only felt like one nail was being nailed into his head, right where his lightning bolt scar was.

"Better?" the man asked, and Harry finally recognized Severus's voice.

"Only one nail now," he answered weakly – then everything went dark.

A/N: I have over 100 followers on this story. Wow. I honestly never expected to get more than 10 or so, and my jaw literally dropped when I realized just how many people are following this story! I know it's not much compared to the thousands of followers some of the top stories on this site have, but a hundred is a big number to me. Thank you all so very much.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

_What is that supposed to mean?_ Severus stared at the unconscious man in his arms. _Only one nail..?_ Then he remembered that sometimes his headaches felt like two nails were being inserted into his temples, and sighed in understanding. Most likely the 'nail' was right where the wound was, he decided, and carefully lifted the smaller man to carry him into the bedroom. The man was still far too light.

Setting Potter down, he brushed the dark hair aside, telling himself it was _not_ a caring gesture, and contemplated the cut on the man's forehead. Heading into the living room once more he cast a cleaning spell at the floor, then called for Potter's house elf and returned several minutes later with an assortment of vials and jars.

_Why are you so good to me? _he asked the man silently as he cleaned and disinfected the wound. _You showed me your memories, but you and my future self were never... friends,_ he thought uncertainly. Were they friends now? Severus hadn't called anyone his friend since he had lost Lily. Uncapping a jar of ointment, he carefully applied a small amount of it to the cut and watched as it healed before his eyes, leaving only a faint red line. _Would you prefer to keep a small reminder of your scar, or would unblemished skin be preferable to you? _Severus hesitated, his hand poised over another jar as he considered the enigma that was Harry James Potter-Black. _No one would want a reminder of a piece of someone else's soul, _he decided eventually, picking up the jar and adding a small amount of clear gel to the previous ointment. Within the hour the cut would be healed, leaving no trace of the famous lightning bolt scar.

_Will the younger Potter have to go through this as well? _Severus wondered, eyeing the elder Potter's pale complexion. It was the same soul piece in both Potters, theoretically, so would the destruction of one deal with the other? Alarmed at the thought, Severus ordered Dobby to bring Harry Potter to him, thankful that classes had already finished for the day when Dobby reappeared with a bleeding and unconscious boy. Laying him on the same bed as his older counterpart, Severus began treating him the same way, taking all the steps he had taken with the man. After all, if Potter's memories were to be believed, then neither Potter appreciated their fans or fame, and would prefer to be without the identifying scar. He did not look forward to telling the younger Potter about Horcruxes and the fact that he had been harboring a piece of the Dark Lord's soul since that fateful Halloween night. No, he didn't look forward to that conversation at all.

Conjuring a wooden chair, Severus sat and considered the two Potters. Both were completely confusing to him, for all that the last Occlumency lesson with the younger Potter had gone astoundingly well. Potter had been far more Slytherin than he had expected, respectful and focused, and Severus was filled with a steadily burning anger for the Headmaster's machinations that had hidden such a spirit. It was no wonder that the older Potter hated Dumbledore with such a passion.

And yet the two Potters were very different; where Potter was still all soft youth, Potter-Black was the harsh lines of a man older than his years, a man who had seen things Severus wouldn't wish on his worst enemy. As he considered the features of the time traveler, Severus wondered who would be able to truly understand this man. Lupin had seemed to instinctively accept the boy, and Severus had noticed how Potter had looked at him as he would a father, a position that Lupin had appeared to return in full.

Who else? Black had seemed unable to accept the new situation, and Severus feared that that way lay only heartache for the older Potter. He may still hate the mutt despite the missing spells, but he wished for the lonely man's sake that Black would learn to accept him. For he had no doubt that Potter was lonely. In his memories Severus had seen that there had been few survivors at the end, and the ones closest to Potter had been Weasley, Granger, Lupin – and his wife Tonks – and Hagrid. He assumed that Poppy had been in the Hospital Wing, as he couldn't remember her dying before that point.

So then. Weasley and Granger would never again be his friends in the way they had been previously, for all that Severus thought that they would get along well. Perhaps the elder Potter would assume the relationship of older brother or uncle to the trio, but a quartet it would never be. Hagrid, being the simple and kind person that he was, would not be able to identify with the hard man Potter had become, though Severus felt that Hagrid would extend the hand of friendship nonetheless.

But who would truly understand the young man? Minerva and Poppy were wonderful people, but they couldn't understand a young man who had seen death and destruction in ways they couldn't even imagine, despite Minerva having lived through part of the war with Grindelwald and Poppy being a healer. Moody perhaps would understand Potter, but Severus felt the man may just be too paranoid to accept Potter as more than a brother-in-arms. Mrs. Weasley would attempt to coddle the young man, and Potter would probably let her, too, but she wouldn't understand him. It sounded as though Potter had enjoyed a friendship with William Weasley, and Severus felt a pang at the thought of the handsome curse breaker. Jealousy?

_I am NOT jealous of a Weasley,_ he told himself firmly. Besides, wasn't the Weasley boy in a relationship with Fleur Delacour, the French part-Veela? Potter had spoken of him with the fondness of a friend, or even a brother, but Severus couldn't remember hearing anything more than that in the young man's tone.

_They're both heterosexual, you imbecile,_ he berated himself, forcing his mind back onto the original topic. The Weasley twinshe thought would accept, if not understand, the older Potter. He didn't know Charlie Weasley well enough to tell, but that might be a potential friend for the lonely man as well. Percival was completely out of the question, of course.

Then, reluctantly, Severus admitted to himself what had started the mental list in the first place. _I am the only one,_ he thought with a strange sense of awe mixed with sadness. He had never thought he would be the only one to understand a Potter. _I am the only one who knows the Dark Lord's cruelty, _he thought, _who has watched Death Eaters killing and torturing. I am the only one who has faced that particular darkness. _And in the same breath he realized that Potter was the only one who understood _him._ The thought took his breath away.

_I am the only one he has shared his memories with, _he thought with stunned clarity. And suddenly he regretted not offering the same to the man in front of him. Potter had showed him his entire life, revealing without shame his childhood in an abusive home, the struggles he faced at Hogwarts, the trials of the war, even a few more personal moments with his friends and family – and Severus hadn't offered anything in return. Potter had exposed his very self to the Potions Master, trusting him intrinsically not to belittle a single thing about his life, and yet knowing very little about the man he had trusted with his every secret. Suddenly Severus wanted to share his life in return, feeling that the pranks he had suffered at the hands of the Marauders and the occasional beatings he had received from his drunkard father were slight in the face of everything this incredible man had gone through.

And yet he knew that he would never offer it to the man, and Potter would never ask such a thing of him. And so Severus attempted something he had never tried before – he used the Legilimens spell on a sleeping man.

A/N: I only realized quite a while after writing this that if destroying the Horcrux in older Harry's scar destroyed the one in younger Harry's scar, then that throws up some interesting theories… Such as whether killing one Harry would kill the other. I am going to go ahead and say no and write it off as one of those inexplicable twists of magic. Perhaps I should write an omake about Hermione struggling to figure out why this is the case and coming up with all sorts of outlandish theories? Heh.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

Harry was dreaming, he was sure of it, but it was one of the strangest dreams he had ever had. It was as though he was living a new life. He wondered whether he had died.

"You good-for-nothing son of a bitch!" the man yelled, swinging clumsily at him as he cowered against a wall. Harry made a break for it, nearly tripping over the first step in his haste, and only noticing that tears were streaming down his cheeks when he was caught in someone's arms. A sob tore from his throat, and a woman's voice said, "Shhh, Severus, hush," as she stroked his head. "It's best to stay out of his way when he drinks, child."

The scene blurred, and Harry found himself in a makeshift potions lab, the same woman's voice instructing him softly in the proper way to dice sweetroot...

Seeing a girl with red hair jump off a swing and float to the ground; "You're a witch!" he exclaimed breathlessly, and her hurt expression while her sister defended her; later talking to the girl properly, and explaining that he was a wizard and that they could lean magic together...

An overheard conversation; the woman with the soft voice trying to reassure the loud man from earlier that everything was already paid for; that Severus would only be home for summer and Christmas, and him saying cruelly, "Good riddance to the freak!"

Sitting on the Hogwarts Express with the red-haired girl – Lily; her speaking excitedly, saying that she was sure that she'd be in Gryffindor and that they'd definitely still be friends even if he's in Slytherin; two boys sticking their heads into the compartment, both looking at Harry like he was dirt. "Come with us," they said to Lily, "A Gryffindor shouldn't have to hang around with a slimy Slytherin!" Lily bristling and informing them that she was most definitely not abandoning her best friend to hang out with such jerks...

The Sorting, and meeting Lily's eyes across the wide hall, and fearing that he would lose his only friend...

After that, the years passed quickly, interspersed with humiliating pranks by four Gryffindors who had decided to target Harry as their main victim. They called themselves the Marauders, and Harry soon learned to give as good as he got, once or twice attacking before they could get him. For some reasons the fights were always his fault, for the teachers always favored the Gryffindors over the Slytherins...

Listening to Lucius, an older student, as he spoke of Lord Voldemort's goals, his voice so silky and persuasive...

Realizing one day that he loved Lily, and knowing that she would never be his; her asking him what he was hanging out with the junior Death Eaters for, and didn't he know what their beliefs were? Unable to tell her that they, at least, accepted him for what he was...

Potter always trying to chat up Lily, thinking he was so hot; her always turning him down with scorn, but he always doing everything he could to catch her attention...

Out by the lake after an exam, being attacked out of nowhere by the Marauders, humiliated in public while all the other students jeered and laughed. Calling Lily a Mudblood when she tried to intervene; he couldn't stand to be rescued by the girl he loved when he was so weak...

Standing in front of Gryffindor Tower, begging to speak to Lily, begging for her forgiveness and only getting cold disdain; knowing that he had lost his only true friend he threw himself into his studies, hanging out ever more with the junior Death Eaters. Having to see as Lily finally gave in and started dating Potter, ignoring him completely...

Coming home in the summer before his last year of Hogwarts to find his parents dead of a gas leak...

Being tricked by Black to go to the Shrieking Shack on a night of the full moon and nearly dying when he ran into a werewolf; being threatened by Dumbledore with an Obliviate unless he swore to keep it a secret while the Gryffindors got off with attempted murder with praise for Potter and a week of detentions for Black...

Joining Lord Voldemort's ranks straight out of Hogwarts and the Dark Mark opening the door to his potions Mastery; eventually being called to participate in his first revel and throwing up afterwards in the horror of being forced to kill a little girl with red hair...

Meeting Regulus Black for the first time as a fellow Death Eater and realizing that despite loving Lily he was attracted to men; sleeping with Regulus and wondering how he could love Lily so strongly when he couldn't imagine even wanting to sleep with a woman...

Ever more revels, though he was spared quite a few due to his potions work; he was the youngest Potions Master in over a century. Overhearing a job interview in the Hog's Head and running to his Master with the knowledge of part of a prophecy decrying the birth of a child to defeat the Dark Lord...

Hearing that Lily was pregnant with Potter's child and realizing with horror that her child was the child of prophecy; going to Dumbledore and confessing everything, pleading with him to keep Lily safe; swearing an oath to spy for the Light until the Dark Lord's downfall; accepting the post of Hogwarts Potions professor and leading the Dark Lord to believe that he was spying on Dumbledore for him...

That terrible Halloween night when he realized that it had all been in vain; Lily was dead, her son miraculously alive and the Dark Lord banished; Dumbledore telling him coldly that Voldemort was still alive and that he would continue to spy for the Light when he returned; swearing in tears to Lily's memory that he would protect her child with his life...

September of 1991; seeing Harry Potter for the first time and feeling a surge of hatred. He looked just like his father...

The first potions class, where he saw that the boy had Lily's eyes and realizing that his torture would be even greater than he had feared; to have the eyes he loved in James Potter's face hurt, and he lashed out at the boy, enjoying the look of hurt on the child's face...

Harry's school years, seen through another's eyes – keeping Potter from falling from his broom when Quirrell jinxed it; finding out that Quirrell had actually been possessed by the Dark Lord and was only stopped by Potter; feeling rage that Potter was getting all the thanks once again...

Potter's third year; trying to protect the students from a transformed werewolf even though he was scared to death; his glee when the Minister promised him the Order of Merlin for capturing Black – finally he would have his revenge... Finding Black gone and realizing that Potter must have been behind it; losing himself in rage for the boy who was a carbon copy of his father...

Returning to the Dark Lord's side after his rebirth and finding him more monster than human; suffering through a round of the Cruciatus even while assuring his Master that he had never strayed from the Dark and he was even still the loyal spy...

Being forced by Dumbledore to give Potter Occlumency lessons even though it was everything he could do to keep himself from killing the boy whenever they were alone together...

Yet another meeting of the Inner Circle, the promise of more rounds of the Cruciatus hanging in the air... And then the sudden appearance of a stranger, bursting out of nowhere to land on the stone floor of the throne room, everyone staring; the man acting like he was a member of the Inner Circle, then declaring himself to be Harry Potter... The man revealing that Bellatrix had killed him in the future, then killing Lucius...

Apparating to Hogwarts and not knowing how to act when the man suddenly broke down; putting his hands on the stranger's too-thin shoulders and feeling them shudder under the force of the man's sorrow; being told that Dumbledore had spells and potions on him and finally understanding how he could be homosexual and still love Lily...

Locking himself in his rooms, immediately ending all spells affecting him and brewing a potion to neutralize any other potions currently in his system, then going to Spinners End and utterly destroying the entire house in his rage, burning it down before returning to Hogwarts...

Seeing the strange Potter again the next morning and feeling slightly guilty for having forgotten about him when the man was clearly mourning all the people he had seen die; his surprise when the man laughed at his disparagement of Gryffindor values; watching the man as he deceived Dumbledore as skillfully as he had the Dark Lord...

Being called to Potter's rooms and finding a changed man wearing authority like a cloak; that same man offering to allow him to search his mind, then showing him his entire life, including future events...

Going to the Order meeting; seeing Potter break down in Lupin's arms and realizing that he was the only one who knew how to snap the man out of it; slapping the man across the face and being thanked for it; returning to Hogwarts alone to mull over all the things he had learned of Harry Potter-Black...

Seeing the younger Potter for his Occlumency on Tuesday evening; hearing that the Golden Trio had met with future Potter; the boy apologizing for the previous few years and Severus realizing that he not only knew in his head, but in his heart that it wasn't Potter's fault. Feeling tempted to apologize in turn but still too much of a Slytherin to say so outright; enjoying a constructive lesson with the younger Potter... Then the sudden appearance of the elder Potter, and finding out that the man was a Horcrux; feeling a strange ache at the thought of this extraordinary man sacrificing his life to bring down the Dark Lord; Potter telling him with glowing eyes that he loved him, and the warm press of his hand as he said he'd go see what the goblins might have...

Mentally berating himself for a fool even as he gathered together potions to give Potter, telling himself that he was being an idiot even as he added a vial of Nutrient potion and Dreamless Sleep, and relief when Potter accepted them with a thank you that would have been Slytherin if not for the soft tone it was delivered in... Discussing wishful dreams, and feeling surprise when Potter seemed to share them; surprising himself even more when he realized that he would actually enjoy Potter's presence...

Potter's house elf telling him that the Headmaster was injured and needed immediate attention; bypassing the golden potion that would stall a curse to instead take a green one to maximize the old man's pain... Then the celebratory toasts with Potter, both of them euphoric in the knowledge that the bastard who had ruined their lives would be dead soon; the horrified realization that he was attracted to an unattainable man...

Being fetched by Dobby once more, this time to attend to Potter; tending to the younger Potter as well before realizing sadly that the people who could truly understand the time traveler were few and far between... And then, the wish to share with this man as he had shared with him, a whispered 'Legilimens' establishing the bridge between his waking mind and Potter's sleeping one.

OoOoO

Harry awoke when he felt the strange dream draw to a close, and when he opened his eyes to meet the dark ones of Severus Snape he knew that it had been no dream. Looking at the shuttered look in the man's eyes he realized that the Potions Master was bracing himself for rejection, and Harry weakly moved his hand, smiling when it was clasped by Severus's cold hand and succumbing to sleep once more.

A/N: Well, this relationship is moving a lot faster than I had expected! Though considering how fast-paced the entire story is, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. If you don't like slash… well, I feel a bit sorry for you :D I just wrote what came naturally, and this pairing just makes sense to me in this story! There will be one or two lemons, but otherwise there's just little things that you can easily skip if you feel so inclined. Enjoy!


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN:

When Harry woke again, he was alone in his bedroom. Weakly raising his arm to look at his watch, he saw that it was morning, and briefly wondered what had happened to make him sleep in so late... Then he remembered the happenings of the previous day.

Bolting upright in bed, Harry stared into space as he touched a hand to his head, remembering the things he had seen in his sleep.

_My God, Severus showed me his life, _he thought in awe. Harry wondered whether their lives were about comparable in terms of rottenness, but couldn't decide. Severus hadn't had a Dark Lord out for his blood, but he hadn't had the friends Harry had, either; he hadn't had his loved ones hunted down and killed, but the only friend he'd ever had was killed and he was forced to grovel before her killer... No, both of their lives were pretty terrible, and there was no point in saying that one was worse than the other.

Then Harry froze. _He's attracted to me._ The phrase ran through his head several times before he could move on from that point. What did he feel for Severus? Harry paused, then smiled. "I always did hate turning people down," he said softly. Yes, he wouldn't mind getting to know Severus in that way. He wouldn't ever forget Daphne, of course, but he lost her long ago, and she would never be his again... The thought sobered him. Severus didn't know, of course, that Harry liked both genders, but though Harry had never been with a man he knew attraction when he felt it. _And that memory of Severus and Regulus together..._ Harry groaned, pressing his palm to the front of his trousers. _God, that was hot. _The image of the two dark-haired men making out against the wall, peeling off each others' clothing and eventually falling into bed, touching, gasping, kissing and writhing against the green sheets...

Harry groaned again, falling back onto the bed and willing his erection away. Imagining himself in that position with Severus was not helping. The same sight kept replaying in his mind, however, until Harry finally gave in and closed his eyes, picturing another man's hands on his skin, a warm mouth on his neck, a smooth voice caressing his name... Harry moaned out his completion, lying panting for a while before reaching for his wand and cleaning up the mess with a quick spell. _Well, that answers the question of how I feel about Severus, I suppose, _he thought wryly. _I clearly have nothing against sleeping with the man, and he's already the closest friend I have in this time – and he was right when he thought that he's one of the few who could understand me. And the others are definitely not partner-material, _he shuddered. He didn't even want to imagine Remus in his bed.

Opening his eyes, Harry swung his legs out of bed and went to change clothes. He felt somewhat weak, but otherwise pretty normal. Checking the time again, Harry realized that Severus's last morning class had just ended and grinned – perhaps he could catch the man before he went to have lunch. Dressing briskly, Harry called for Dobby and had him pop him to the Potions classroom. When that was empty he headed for the Potions Master's private quarters, and ended up running right into Severus as they both turned the corner.

"Oof!" Harry said, the wind escaping him at the impact, and clutched at the robe of the person he had just run into to keep from falling. Looking up, he met the Potions Master's startled gaze and grinned. "Um, hi?"

"Potter," the man acknowledged, schooling his features into impassivity. "Eloquent as always."

Harry laughed, relaxing immediately and moving slightly away from the Potions Master, but staying a bit closer than he usually would. "I was wondering if you had a few minutes to... talk," he said, pausing as he realized that he wanted to do things that definitely weren't classified as 'talking'. "There's something I have to tell you."

Though he could almost feel Severus's confusion the Potions Master managed to keep his face completely blank as he nodded and turned, leading the way to his quarters. Harry followed, trying to figure out whether to get a hold on his arousal or not. He had never noticed the other man's scent so acutely, and suddenly he wanted to smell it from far closer than a step away.

Then they were past Medusa and in Severus's living room, and Harry decided not to fight it anymore. As soon as Severus turned to him, asking him what it was that he needed to tell him, Harry stepped up to the Potions Master, eyes locked on the dark gaze as he said lowly, "I'm bisexual." Then he reached up and pulled the stunned man's head down, molding his mouth to the thinner lips of the older man.

Severus completely froze at Harry's first touch, but Harry didn't move, waiting for the moment when – there. Severus relaxed into the kiss with a little sigh, bringing his right hand up to cup Harry's cheek, and Harry moved just that bit closer to let their chests touch, rough teaching robes pressed against soft wool. The kiss was gentle, their lips moving together softly, and damn if it wasn't perfect. Severus's lips were nothing like Daphne's, and for that Harry was thankful. Not to mention that he had to tip his head back quite a bit to kiss the taller man.

Pulling away, Harry leaned his head against Severus's shoulder, loving it when Severus's arms came up to hold him. "I'm so short," he laughed quietly, tangling his hands in the front of Severus's black robes as he raised his head to kiss the man again, going up on his toes so that he wouldn't have to tip his head back quite so far. He felt very safe in Severus's arms, he realized as he deepened the kiss, leaning in to get as close to the other man as possible. He felt a thrill of arousal when Severus opened his mouth, flicking out his tongue against Harry's upper lip, and Harry couldn't contain the sound that escaped him as he bit down on Severus's lower lip. It was a cross between a moan and a growl, and their kiss rapidly turned more heated. God, it had been so long since either of them had been with a partner...

"I want you," Harry growled as Severus's hands slipped under his shirt, stroking along the skin of his back.

"You've never-" Severus began to object, but Harry cut him off with a forceful kiss.

"Doesn't matter," he said, moving his head to place his mouth against the taller man's neck and giving it a sucking kiss. "I want to feel you," he muttered against the soft skin, sliding one hand down to Severus's trousers and squeezing, loving the moan that spilled from Severus's lips. He realized that Severus had automatically assumed that Harry would bottom, since 'I want you' could have also meant that he wanted to top. Perhaps the next time he'd top, but he had been wondering for too long what it felt like to object to bottoming. He trusted Severus not to hurt him overly much.

"Come," he said, pulling away and hardening further at the hungry look in Severus's eyes. "Bed." He pressed a bruising kiss to the taller man's lips before pulling him in the direction of the bedroom.

A/N: Skip the next chapter if you don't want to read any hot guy on guy action!


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY:

They fell into bed, Harry already pulling at the other man's clothing, growling in exasperation at the many buttons that hindered him. "The buttons look great, but they're in my way," he said breathlessly as Severus suckled at his neck. Severus chuckled, the deep sound going right to Harry's cock.

"There's a very useful little spell," Severus whispered against Harry's neck, and a moment later all the buttons on Harry's shirt popped open, exposing Harry's chest to the nibbling kisses Severus immediately proceeded to trail down his front.

"Severus, please," Harry panted, arching into the touch. Severus didn't heed him, however, and kept moving further down, undoing Harry's trousers as he went. At the first touch of the older man's hand Harry gasped out, "Don't; I won't be able to come three times," leading Severus to still and raise his head.

"Three times?" he asked, looking like he was missing something, and Harry pulled at the man's shirt ineffectively.

"I already wanked earlier," he admitted with a blush, "and if you touch me now there's no way I'll be able to come again later…" Severus chuckled again, but obligingly moved up and met Harry's mouth with his own, undoing his own buttons and letting Harry peel off the white shirt. Harry groaned into the kiss when their bare chests touched, and decided that he couldn't be bothered with any more clothing.

"Impatient man," Severus chuckled breathlessly when they were suddenly both completely naked, and Harry retaliated by bucking up against the other man, drawing a strangled moan from him. "Merlin – don't," the man choked out, biting Harry's lip.

"Fuck me," Harry ground out, and Severus shivered at the husky voice asking him to…

"With pleasure," he replied, kissing Harry hard as he summoned lubrication. Harry spread his legs without any prompting from Severus, and they both moaned when the movement brought them into perfect alignment. Severus willed his fingers to stop shaking as he spelled the jar of lubricant open and slathered his middle finger with it, reaching back to Harry's entrance. "You'll have to relax," he breathed as he circled the tight ring, knowing that unless Harry did, this would hurt quite a bit.

To his shock the man promptly relaxed under him, sliding his hands along Severus' back to rest on his hips. "Better?" he whispered in Severus's ear, and the rasp to Harry's voice made him shudder.

"Much," he choked out. Merlin, did the man really trust him that much? Quelling his needs as much as he could, Severus resolved to make this as good for the younger man as possible. He carefully set about preparing his partner, distracting him from the unfamiliar sensations with his mouth, until he had worked the first finger in completely. Then he leaned back slightly to see Harry's face as he moved his finger in and out slightly, searching for…

Harry gasped, twitching violently under the firm body holding him to the bed. "Oh my God," he closed his eyes, moaning as Severus stroked his prostate again.

"Relax, Harry," Severus instructed him shakily – if Harry's passage felt that tight on one finger, then it would take a while to loosen him up enough to accept his girth. Removing his finger, he lubricated two and slowly began working them in, wringing more moans from his partner as he stroked his prostrate and began to pump. Soon they were up to three fingers, and neither of them wanted to wait any longer.

"Fuck me, Severus," Harry moaned, loving the feel of Severus's fingers but wanting to feel the man's cock inside him, claiming him. Even so he couldn't prevent a soft whine when Severus completely withdrew his fingers, and Harry opened his eyes to the sight of Severus lubricating his cock. The man was somewhat bigger than him, in all directions, but he had expected that. Then Severus was positioning himself at Harry's entrance, and their eyes met, Severus's gaze asking him whether this was really what he wanted. Harry simply pushed himself down slightly, feeling the head of Severus's cock nudging his hole and loving the way Severus exhaled sharply at the sensation.

"Fuck me," Harry said for the third time, and this time Severus obliged him, bracing his arms on either side of Harry's body as he slowly pushed forward, entering Harry bit by bit. It was uncomfortable, but compared to other things Harry had been through he couldn't really call it painful, and he bore down on Severus until the man was fully sheathed in his body.

Severus spoke a strangled word that may have been 'Merlin', dropping his head against Harry's shoulder as he breathed heavily. "So tight," he groaned, and Harry couldn't help but squeeze his muscles, earning a strangled moan from the other man. They remained that way for a few seconds longer before Harry decided that Severus had caught his breath for long enough.

"Claim me, Severus," he whispered into the man's ear, arching his body up to take Severus even more deeply into his body. It was a strange feeling, but he felt it would feel better as soon as Severus started moving. The man began doing just that, and he had been right – it was so much better when Severus was actually fucking him. The man seemed to know just how to hit his prostrate, and soon they were moving in synchrony, harsh breaths and sharp cries falling from their lips.

"God, you're amazing," Harry choked out, his fingers digging into the man's back as Severus fucked him into the mattress. All he got in reply was a groan, all Slytherin rejoinders forgotten in the heat of the moment. Then a long-fingered hand closed on his cock and all rational thought left Harry, lost in the sensations Severus was wringing from him; three pulls and Harry was keening his completion, his passage tightening around Severus and drawing the other's release from him. Spent, they both collapsed into a tangled heap, their heavy breathing the only sound.

"That was amazing," Harry exhaled, one of his hands stroking Severus's back.

"I cannot say I disagree," Severus replied, his breath still coming heavily. Raising his head weakly, he pressed a kiss to Harry's mouth before pulling out and shifting so that he wasn't crushing Harry with his heavier body. One cleaning spell later and they both fell asleep with their bodies pressed close together. Talking would come later, but as they succumbed to exhaustion they both thought the same thing: That they looked forward to a repeat performance.

A/N: Short but sweet. Hope you enjoyed it!


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE:

Severus woke feeling warmer than he had in many years, and with a content sigh he borrowed deeper into the warmth. Then he realized that he wasn't alone in his bed, and that the warmth was the heat of another man's body. Severus froze, trying to remember…

"It's just me," came a soft voice, and Severus relaxed slightly when he identified the voice as Harry's. Opening his eyes, he met the green gaze of his bed partner, and was left breathless by the warmth in the other man's gaze.

"You're so cute when you sleep," Harry reached out to gently smooth some of his hair out of his face, and while Severus felt a strange warmth at the words he scowled and informed the man that he was most certainly not 'cute'. Harry just laughed. "Of course not; Slytherins don't do 'cute'."

Something in Harry's smile let him know that he was remembering another Slytherin, and Severus searched the younger man's eyes as he asked softly, "Greengrass?"

Harry simply smiled in confirmation, and Severus felt a pang at the sadness in that smile. "Don't worry," Harry said, reaching out again to touch Severus's cheek. "She'll never be mine again. Hopefully Harry will end up with her, but only time will tell." At Severus's questioning look he smiled wryly. "Yes, I miss her – but I lost her a long time ago. It hurts, knowing that she's here and yet isn't the Daphne I loved – and there's both a sense of sadness and satisfaction that she never will be. And even if she decided one day that she wants me, I wouldn't go back to her – I'm yours now, and I would never cheat on a partner," he said earnestly.

"It would not be cheating if you left me for her," Severus felt obliged to point out, though Harry's words had soothed a fear he had – for Regulus had thought nothing of taking others into his bed, and Severus had feared that Harry would be the same.

"True," Harry chuckled, "but I have absolutely no intention of leaving you." With that he pressed closer to Severus, giving the Potions Master a deep kiss that Severus eagerly returned. He could already feel himself responding to the hard planes of Harry's body pressed up against his when he suddenly realized something, tearing his mouth away from Harry's to ask, "What time is it?"

Harry blinked, then checked his watch. "It's about three thirty," he replied, and Severus buried his face into the pillow with a groan.

"Fucking hell," he cursed. "I missed my class."

Harry burst out laughing. "Just tell them," he gasped through his laughter, "that you missed the class because you were buggering Harry Potter!"

Severus gave him a distinctly unimpressed look, though laughter lurked behind it. "Even though the class I missed was that of Harry Potter?" Harry just laughed harder, and Severus reluctantly untangled himself from the other man and rose.

"There is a half hour of class left; I will go make my excuses. My following class doesn't begin until four pm..." he trailed off, and to his gratification Harry replied, "I'll be here waiting, then," with a smile. Severus nodded, refusing to blush as he pulled on his robes, and left. He could hear Harry's chuckles behind him, and did have to admit that it was funny that the first time he missed a class without notice was to fuck the Golden Boy.

Striding down the hall, he entered his Potions classroom and was somewhat surprised to find his entire class there. "I apologize for the delay; I was detained," he said curtly when they all looked up at his entrance. Some of them were studying, some gossiping and some doing homework for another class, but he was thankful to see that none of them had decided to brew without him present. "Today we would have brewed the Blood-replenishing potion," he said smoothly, moving to stand behind his desk, "but as there is not enough time left in this lesson I am assigning you an essay of at least two feet. There will be an extra period tomorrow evening at seven pm for those who wish to brew it." The look he gave them made it clear that he expected them all to show up. "Dismissed." Not waiting to see the students out the door, Severus turned on his heel and left, heading directly for his quarters. He intended to make the most of the twenty minutes he had left before his next class.

OoOoO

"Wonder what kept him?" Ron mused as he stuffed his notes into his bag. Hermione looked pensive.

"It's not like him not to leave a note," she said slowly, "so it must have been something very short-notice..."

"Think it involved Dumbledore?" The three grabbed their bags and trailed behind the other students. Harry made a strangled noise at Ron's suggestion, and the two others turned to him with questioning looks.

"I really hope it didn't involve Dumbledore," he said, and his face was unusually pale.

Hermione and Ron exchanged a clueless look. "What is it, mate?" Ron asked eventually.

"When Snape walked in..." Harry flushed suddenly. "Well... He smelled like..."

"Yes?" Hermione asked impatiently. "What did he smell like?" _And why did you notice the way Professor Snape smells? _she wondered.

Harry shot Ron a pleading look, and suddenly the other boy paled. "Oh." he said. "Oh."

"Oh WHAT?" Hermione demanded, frustrated, scowling when the two boys traded helpless looks.

"Well..." Ron temporized, and Harry finally just blurted it out, recognizing that Hermione was nearing the end of her patience. "He smelled like sex."

Hermione gaped at him, and both boys studiously averted their eyes, suddenly finding the walls and floor very interesting. "And how do you know what sex smells like?" she asked in a somewhat strangled voice, and both Ron and Harry blushed bright red.

"Well, not sex, really," Ron mumbled so lowly that she almost didn't catch it, and she looked to Harry for clarification. He blushed even harder, if that was even possible.

"Uh, well..." he looked everywhere but at her as he said, "All guys... well, they... we masturbate," he managed to say, and then it was Hermione's turn to blush.

"Oh," she said faintly. "And Professor Snape..?"

Ron cleared his throat awkwardly. "Let's talk about something else," he said, and Harry nodded enthusiastically.

"Er... so, how are those Chudley Cannons doing?" he asked, and even Hermione accepted the new topic with relief.

A/N: I grinned my head off writing this last scene. Is it strange that I enjoy my own writing that much?


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO:

"I'll join you for your Occlumency lesson later, if you don't mind," Harry smiled at Severus as they sat down to dinner together in Severus's quarters. "I know how Ron had his shields in the other timeframe, so it might be better if I taught him while you focus on Harry."

"Your assistance would be appreciated," Severus replied, and Harry saw the gratitude hidden in his eyes and smiled. Severus wouldn't have looked forward to teaching Ron; in the other timeline the two of them never had learned to get along, really.

"Do you think we'll be summoned on Friday?" Harry asked, picking up his cutlery and attacking his meal – he had missed several meals again and was rather hungry.

"There is a high probability for that to be the case," Severus replied, and Harry shook his head with a smirk. The man could never say anything in a simple way.

"I was thinking of telling him that I had managed to slip Dumbledore a cursed object and pass it off as an anonymous assassination attempt," he said, taking a sip of water. "Of course, I would make sure to mention your help," Harry smirked at his companion. "As for the Order, I thought we could let him know that I sidelined Dumbledore in the last meeting, all but assuming leadership. I would mention that Dumbledore suggested to extend the hand of forgiveness to Narcissa Malfoy to get their hands on the Malfoy fortune, and that I managed to persuade the Order that it would be wise to sway the Ministry onto our side, using bribes if necessary." By this point both men were openly smirking, and Harry cut himself another bite of steak as he said innocently, "Sirius Black gave me full control over the Black vaults, of course – he is my godfather, after all," his eyes glinting as he met Severus's gaze.

"The Dark Lord will be pleased," Severus drawled, eyeing Harry appreciatively as he raised his glass to his lips.

"That is my sole purpose in life," Harry said mockingly, and Severus's lips twitched.

"I suggest you tell him that," he said blandly, turning his attention to the meal and smirking at Harry's low laugh.

OoOoO

Harry was sitting quietly in a corner when Ron and his younger counterpart arrived for their Occlumency lesson, and he was rather curious when both boys paled upon seeing him there with the Potions Master.

"What's the matter?" he asked, tipping his head as he looked at the boys. Younger Harry looked faintly sick, actually.

"It's nothing," Ron said faintly, closing the door behind them. Harry raised his eyebrows – there was definitely something going on. And then he noticed how the two boys studiously tried to avoid looking at either him or Severus, and a thought occurred to him.

"Severus," he said, his lips twitching, "you didn't cast a freshening charm on yourself before you went to class, did you." Severus looked at him, not seeming to understand his point, but Harry saw how his younger counterpoint suddenly blanched and couldn't keep a huge grin from splitting his face.

"I'm gay?" younger Harry suddenly asked, looking slightly panicked, and Harry lost it. He laughed till he ended up clutching his side, gasping that he couldn't breathe, and it took him a while to get himself back under control enough for only the occasional giggle to escape him.

"Don't worry," he managed to say, "If you continue as I did, then you'll end up married to an absolutely amazing woman," he smirked at the look of relief on his counterpart's face. "But you're bisexual, yes," he added cruelly, giving Severus a heated look that had both Harry and Ron choking.

"Enough," Severus ordered, standing and smoothing out his robes. He looked remarkably composed, but Harry could see the faint blush that stained his cheeks at being found out in such a way and the former Golden Boy snickered, getting a glare in return. "You are here to learn the fine art of Occlumency, not to discover your sexual orientation," he snarked, and Harry huffed a laugh, raising his hands innocently when Severus turned to glare at him again.

"Come here, Ron; I'll be working with you today," Harry said before Severus could order him out of the room, still snickering quietly as he dragged the boy to the side. "What have you read or heard about Occlumency?" he asked the redhead, gleefully ignoring the awkward words being exchanged between Severus and Harry the younger. Poor Harry was probably traumatized at the thought that an older version of himself was sleeping with the Potions Master, Harry thought cheerfully as Ron told him what he knew about Occlumency.

"That's a good start," he reassured the boy when he trailed off into silence, giving him an encouraging smile. "Now, let me give you a few tips..."

OoOoO

"Sooo, had fun with Severus?" Harry draped his arm over his younger counterpart's shoulders at the end of the lesson, and grinned when the boy shifted uncomfortably. "You spent the entire lesson wondering what he was like in bed, didn't you," he leered, and from younger Harry's blush knew that he had guessed right. He leaned in to whisper in the shorter boy's ear. "Imagine those long fingers touching you, stroking along your skin," he purred, "that deep voice groaning out your name... His cock-"

"ENOUGH," Severus thundered, his blush betraying him although his expression was forbidding. Harry raised his head to give him a heated look, releasing his counterpart to move smoothly up to the Potions Master.

"His cock inside you," he breathed, bringing his face close to the taller man's and noticing with a thrill how Severus unconsciously tipped his head down slightly, his eyes intent on Harry's face as he spoke. "Claiming you, touching you in ways no one ever has... Those lips taking your breath away with a fierce kiss while his hand reaches down to touch you," he leaned up against Severus, placing one hand on the man's chest and feeling his racing heartbeat. "The sound of his voice as he comes inside you," he purred, his entire focus on the hot body so close to his. "Knowing that you're his and no one else's..." With that he bridged the last centimeter separating them, pressing his mouth to Severus's and clutching at the taller man as strong arms came up to crush Harry's body against his. They devoured each others' lips, the kiss all heat and fire, completely forgetting about the two students until one of them make a choked sound. Harry broke the kiss to look over at them, seeing a completely red-faced Ron staring uncomfortably at the furthest wall and Harry watching them with a matching blush, but with glazed eyes that spoke of arousal. Harry wondered what it was like, seeing your older self kiss another man with such enthusiasm.

"Leave us," Severus said lowly, and his normally smooth voice had a husky tone to it that got a visible reaction from the younger Harry. Harry laughed, and Severus snarled, "I am NOT fucking a minor." The two boys fled with completely red faces, and once the door was closed behind them Severus turned to Harry with a burning gaze. "Are you purposely provoking me?" the man asked, his voice rough velvet as he backed Harry up towards the dungeon wall.

"What if I am?" Harry purred, licking his lips and seeing Severus's eyes flick down.

"Then I would say that you deserve whatever reaction you get," Severus replied lowly, catching Harry's lower lip between his teeth as Harry's back hit the stone wall.

"Then give me what I deserve," Harry murmured against Severus's lips, loving the way Severus kept him pinned against the wall and hoping for more. He had always loved the way he and Daphne traded dominance in bed, and hoped to have the same with the Potions Master; any further thoughts were chased from his mind when Severus ground against him and pressed a bruising kiss to his lips.

A/N: Harry's such a troublemaker… or is he simply a Gryffindor? I'm sure Severus would say the latter. The beginning of the next chapter has another short lemon, but then we're back to the plot! Though the lemons have a bit of plot as well, really: Severus learned in the first lemon that Harry trusts him implicitly, not just with his past but with his body, and just now we learned that Harry enjoys both giving and taking, so to speak. You'll learn something very important in the next lemon as well…


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE:

Harry woke on Friday morning feeling the activities of the previous day, but as he snuggled closer to Severus he knew he wouldn't have it any other way. It was a very long time since he had last slept with anyone, and waking up entangled with another person was a feeling he had long thought he would never have again.

Then Severus stirred, burrowing deeper into the blankets with a groan, and Harry stifled a laugh. He had learned in the other timeline that Severus Snape was NOT a morning person. "Good morning," he said softly, pressing a kiss to the soft skin behind Severus's ear. A muffled groan was all he got in response, and Harry grinned.

"Well, if you refuse to wake up…" Harry pushed the other man until he was on top, smirking down at the man who had slung one arm over his eyes and was most obstinately ignoring the call of day. Smoothing his hands down Severus's sides Harry began trailing feather-light kisses along the side of his neck, slowly moving down Severus's body. When he gave one nipple a flick with his tongue he immediately noticed Severus's unfavorable reaction and moved on, making a mental note that Severus didn't like his nipples touched. By the time he reached his destination Severus was definitely interested, and by now the arm over the man's eyes had dipped to instead muffle the sounds he was making, which Harry found strangely endearing.

Then he lowered his head and ran his pointed tongue up Severus's member from base to tip, smiling at the muffled moan that got from Severus. He proceeded to tease Severus with nibbling kisses, light licks and by softly blowing on the man's cock, letting the man writhe in a silent plea for more contact but waiting until Severus gave in and moaned out, "Harry…" Only then did he set to his task in earnest, loving each sound that fell from Severus's lips. He had heard once that you could disable your gag reflex by squeezing your left thumb, so he fisted his hand and attempted to deepthroat Severus; it worked better than he had expected, but he knew that to do it properly he would need to practice and Severus was too close to finishing to get that practice in now. Wrapping his hand around Severus's cock he started pumping, keeping his mouth on the head and squeezing lightly – and had a man come in his mouth for the first time.

Only once Severus was completely spent did Harry raise his head, licking his lips and meeting Severus's dilated eyes, smirking contentedly at the mind-blown expression on the man's face. It seemed that his first blow job hadn't been too terrible.

Pulling himself up he kissed Severus deeply, somewhat surprised at the way Severus opened his mouth to taste himself on Harry but extremely turned on by it; Severus however froze when he felt Harry's hard length against his bare skin, and Harry pulled away to look at him in confusion, about to ask what was the matter when he realized what Severus was afraid of. His face softened and he moved his hand to softly stroke Severus's cheek, feeling him relax slightly at the touch.

"I would never do anything you don't want," he said softly, and caught the way relief and guilt flickered across Severus's face before the man hid his face in the crook of Harry's neck. Harry simply gathered him in his arms, resting his cheek against the dark hair as he held him close. "Who was it?" he asked softly, not sure whether Severus would tell him or not.

"Rabastan Lestrange," Severus eventually whispered into Harry's neck, and Harry's arms involuntarily tightened around the older man.

"I'll kill him for you," he said mildly, not letting any of his feelings bleed into his voice as he contemplated how he would get his hands on the rapist. Well, he _had_ decided that the Lestranges would be the first to go…

Apparently Harry hadn't said the wrong thing, for Severus relaxed fully, his arms coming up to loosely embrace the younger man. "I'm sorry," he said so quietly that Harry almost didn't catch it.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Severus," Harry said softly, smoothing his hand along the soft skin of Severus's back. "Nothing at all." And the other man seemed to recognize that Harry was entirely serious, for he simply tightened his hold, clinging to the younger man like a lifeline while his bed partner plotted the most fitting way to murder a Death Eater.

OoOoO

While Severus was in class Harry went to pay Dumbledore a visit in the Hospital Wing, finding the man sitting in a hospital bed dictating a letter to a quill as he was unable to write with his cursed hand.

"How are you feeling, Albus?" Harry asked softly as he slid into a chair by the man's bedside, feigning concern. "I'm sorry for not stopping by earlier – I was dealing with the other Horcruxes. I hope to defeat Snake Face while you're still around to see it," he smiled shakily.

"You have dealt with all the Horcruxes already?" Dumbledore asked, seeming unable to believe it.

Harry nodded. "All but Nagini; I knew where all the others were, so destroying them only took a day or so," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I regret that the only one whose location I didn't know also was the most dangerous…"

"Where were the other ones?" Harry noticed that Dumbledore seemed somewhat annoyed; he was probably cursing Harry for letting him walk straight into danger.

"There was one in the Room of Requirement," Harry began obediently, "one in the Lestrange vault at Gringotts, another in the Black townhouse, and one in my scar."

Dumbledore seemed to deflate when Harry mentioned the last Horcrux, and Harry was hard pressed not to murder the bastard where he sat, realizing that Dumbledore HAD known about the Horcrux in him. Somehow he managed to answer civilly when Dumbledore asked how he destroyed the soul piece in his scar.

"The goblins performed a ritual on me," Harry shrugged. "For a fee of course."

"Of course," Dumbledore answered, the edge to his voice convincing Harry that the bastard had wanted him dead. Oh, he was looking forward to pumping the old man full of Veritaserum and finding out what reasons were behind Dumbledore's insane master plan…

"Are you quite alright, my boy?"

Harry looked at the man, realizing that at least some of his feelings must have been visible. "Just a headache," he smiled slightly. "I'll see if Severus can give me something for it later." Dumbledore didn't point out that they were in the Hospital Wing, interestingly, but instead just nodded.

"I was thinking that we should have an Order meeting tonight," Harry said, coming to the true reason for his visit. "We need to plan how to continue, and the members deserve to know that you are… injured," he said tactfully.

"You are quite right," Dumbledore sighed heavily. "I will call a meeting for 9 pm – that should ensure that everyone can make it. Perhaps you could help me through the Floo when the time comes?" he asked, and Harry agreed, of course.

"I will come by again later, then," Harry stood and reached out to lightly squeeze the Headmaster's shoulder. With that he left, glad to leave behind the bastard who had wanted him dead.

A/N: For anyone who skipped the beginning of this chapter, the detail that you missed is that Severus was raped in the past by Rabastan Lestrange, and Harry plans on extracting revenge. Nobody touches Severus without just retribution.


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR:

Harry clutched Dumbledore's frail body tightly as he spun through the Floo network, and as soon as they reached their destination he conjured an armchair to arrange the old man in, ignoring the gasps of the Order members already present. When he looked up he realized that all the Order members were already present, and announced, somewhat superfluously, that the Headmaster was injured.

"What happened?" Moody asked, his good eye intent on Harry.

"Albus ran afoul of a very Dark curse when we were dealing with one of Snake Face's Horcruxes," he replied, and Moody's gaze switched to Dumbledore's withered hand. "There is no way to reverse or stop the curse, but Severus," here he nodded at the seated Potions Master, "did what he could to slow it, extending Albus' life expectancy from several hours to a month. If we all work together, we can deal with Snake Face and his Death Eaters within that month; I would like Albus to be able to see the peace he has worked towards for so many years." Harry was glad that both Remus and Severus had such control over their expressions, for neither of them betrayed anything at his smooth words. Most of the other Order members looked either panicked or lost, and Harry knew that he needed to take charge before any of them succumbed to panic.

Conjuring himself an armchair, Harry sat down and cast a glance at Dumbledore; seeing that he was pale with pain and wouldn't be speaking for a while, Harry said, "I do have a piece of good news to give you." Seeing that everyone's attention was on him, he continued, "Most of Snake Face's Horcruxes have been dealt with; the only one left is Nagini, Voldemort's pet snake. Once she is dead, Snake Face will be mortal." The looks of relief on the other members' faces made Harry smile. "I intend for Snake Face to be dead by Sunday next week," he announced, and almost laughed at the gobsmacked expressions. "Please, have a seat, and I'll explain."

Once everyone was seated, he began to lay out his plan. "Severus believes that he will be called for a meeting of the Inner Circle tomorrow evening – I will accompany him to keep Snake Face believing that I am his follower," he ignored the worried looks of Mrs. Weasley and several others, "and will report on the incompetence of the Order." Here he winked at the Weasley twins, who grinned in return. "As soon as we have returned from the meeting I will call an Order meeting. Starting the following evening I want to begin taking out Death Eaters, interrogating them with Veritaserum and deciding which will go to trial and which need to be taken out of society entirely." His face was serious as he continued, "We all know that in the current Ministry, all of the Death Eaters will go free if taken to trial. In my opinion, the only Death Eaters that go to trial should be the ones that agree to swear an oath and we place under house arrest until we have cleaned out the Ministry enough to give them a fair trial. I do not doubt that all of them will end up going to Azkaban after such a trial, and I do not doubt that many of them will choose death over such a fate. If they choose such an end, each of us will have a vial of poison on hand to give them a humane death. No matter what their actions in the past, we will not stoop to their level." None of them needed to know that he was lying – he had absolutely no intention of giving either Bellatrix or Rodolphus Lestrange such an easy end. They would suffer for what they did to Severus.

"We will put together teams to infiltrate the Death Eaters' homes, and I insist that nobody volunteer if they believe themselves unable to either administer a poison or watch a poison being administered." He let that sink in for a moment, then said, "Volunteers please raise your hands."

Another pause, then, "Alright. When the Aurors among us took their oaths, did it include anything about unlawful action, interrogation, or killing?"

"We swore that whenever possible we would capture instead of killing," Shaklebolt replied in a rumbling bass. Harry nodded – he had expected something along those lines. A look at Moody had the man shaking his head, "When I retired I was released from my Oath."

"Alright then. Alastor, if you could head a team to the Nott residence with Fred and George under your command. You know how the Notts are; work out a plan with the twins." The three men nodded, and Harry shot Mrs. Weasley a level look that silenced her unvoiced protests. "Remus, you will go to the Carrow residence with Tonks and Bill. Incapacitate your targets immediately, and don't risk your necks in a duel. They're fast, they're tricky – don't give them any chances to try anything. If they so much as scratch you I will be most displeased." He meant it, too – the Carrows had a tendency to use a special cutting curse that was combined with a blood poisoning spell: If you got scratched by that spell, you would most likely die.

"On second thought – Severus, you will head that group instead of Remus. Take a lot of anti-venom potions with you; you know which spell the Carrows prefer." He gave Severus a meaningful look, and the man nodded grimly. "As with the other team, you will work out a plan with Bill and Nymph." It was a sign of how unsure Tonks was about working together with Snape that she didn't even protest the use of the nickname.

"Remus, that leaves you free to deal with Jugson. He's a tricky one as well; take no chances. Sirius is under your command." Harry shot his godfather a look that made it clear that he was to listen to Remus's orders. If anyone thought it strange that Harry was putting Remus in charge and not Sirius, they didn't show it.

"Minerva," he turned to his former teacher, "Please deal with Rowle; Mr. Doge will support you. Kingsley, Yaxley is yours – I am fairly sure that he will swear an oath rather than face death, believing that he will be able to bribe his way out of a trial."

Looking around the room, he thought briefly. "That leaves… Travers, Macnair, Goyle, Crabbe, Gibbon, Avery, Dolohov, and Lestrange. Alastor, you and Bill will take down Dolohov; the twins will join Nymph to take down Crabbe. Minerva and Mr. Doge will deal with Goyle. Remus and Sirius, your second objective is Avery, and Kingsley will deal with Travers. Gibbon and Macnair work in the Ministry and aren't fighters – they will attempt to keep their heads down, giving us enough time to deal with them at a later point in time. Severus and I will deal with the Lestranges." The hard look on his face made several members shift uncertainly; it was clear that he had personal reasons for going after that group.

"As for a timetable," he continued, "we will hopefully need only two strikes – one Saturday night, and one Sunday night. Everyone will head out at the same time, and if there are any difficulties you will press this disk; it will send out a distress signal to everyone else with the same charm, indicating person and location." He held up a small disk that he had pulled from his pocket; it was a simple charm for jewelry that Harry had charmed prior to the meeting. "I have a length of cord here as well; each of you will fashion a necklace so that the disk is always close at hand. If you have any troubles during your mission you press this, and any available member will come to aid you. I myself will be staying at Headquarters for just that case." Standing up, Harry laid both the charms and the coiled cord on the table before addressing the group once more.

"As I said, we will meet on Friday after the Death Eater meeting – unless the meeting is called for Saturday; then we will meet then and the missions won't begin till Sunday night. Once Snake Face realizes that his Inner Circle has been almost completely taken out he will call another meeting, and Severus and I will deal with Nagini and hopefully Snake Face himself then. Five minutes after we have apparated in you will join us." At the questioning looks he smiled slightly. "Let me explain how we will accomplish this."

Before he did so he conjured himself a glass of water and drank deeply. _Am I giving them too much information at once? _he wondered, but one glance at the members' focused expressions reassured him that that was not the case. Clearing his throat, he explained his plan.

"A tracking charm, applied to me, will give you the apparition coordinates, and once Snake Face is dead the wards will fall and you will be able to apparate directly into the hall. After that, it will be a simple take-down procedure – we take down all Death Eaters present. If there are many of them, do not stun them – they will be enervated by their companions. Use force. If there are few, however, then by all means, do stun them. Poppy, Miss Vance, and Mrs. Figg will wait at Headquarters; Hagrid, you'll stay at Hogwarts both during the missions and the final confrontation to keep an eye on the school and alert us should anything happen on that end. I will also inform Harry, Ron and Hermione so that they may keep an eye on the students, and Severus and Minerva will discuss with their fellow teachers the option of joining us. Filius especially would be a great addition to our Order."

Harry was somewhat surprised that everyone accepted his orders without question; he had expected at least a bit of resistance. He wondered whether they were just incapable of questioning the person in command or whether they actually had that much trust in him, despite having only really met him a few days prior.

"So, to recap." He swung his gaze along the room, meeting each member's eyes once. A thought occurring to him, Harry conjured a blackboard behind him as well as a piece of chalk to write down his points as he made them. "Tomorrow or Saturday evening there will be a Death Eater meeting that Severus and I will attend. As soon as we have returned to Hogwarts we will call an Order meeting to discuss the missions in further detail. The following two nights we will strike at the Death Eaters of the Inner Circle, and all members will wear a charm around their neck in case of complications. After each strike we will all reconvene here to discuss how it went and how to proceed; Kingsley, Alastor and Remus will place tracking charms on me. When Voldemort calls his remaining followers, Severs and I will each send a Patronus alerting Alastor and Remus; they will call together the Order and Kingsley will lead the group in once Alastor says that five minutes have elapsed since our Patronus reached him. Once the confrontation is over we will all meet again here to discuss how to proceed with the Ministry. Kingsley will speak with Madam Bones to lead the Auror force in for clean-up while we decide; I am inclined to use the political power of the Potter, Black, Malfoy, Bones and Longbottom families to bring about change within the Ministry, but I will want to hear your opinions." He smiled at the overwhelmed group, and his tone softened slightly. "For now, let's just focus on one thing at a time: I encourage you to sit in your appointed groups and discuss how you will go about infiltrating the homes of the Death Eaters. Can all remaining members please join me."

Turning, Harry moved back to his chair and crouched next to Dumbledore, who had his eyes closed, obviously in great pain. "How are you holding up, Albus?" Harry asked softly, searching the lined face.

The eyes opened slowly, needing a moment to focus on Harry's face. "Not as well as I had hoped, I am afraid," the man said faintly, and Harry mentally pumped his fist in the air. Outwardly he worried his lip, looking at his former mentor with concern.

"I'm sorry I can't do anything to help," he said, his voice tinted with self-reproach.

Dumbledore tried to smile gently, but it came out closer to a grimace. "It is not your fault, my boy," he said, but Harry was sure that the man felt otherwise.

"Still…" he said helplessly. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into the sad face of Poppy Pompfrey.

"Don't hold yourself responsible, Harry," she said softly, and he felt his eyes tear as he remembered her saying the same to him after so many other deaths. "You did all you could." Harry bit his lip hard to keep the tears from falling and nodded shakily at the Mediwitch.

"Everyone here?" he asked, wiping his eyes as he stood and assumed the mantle of leadership once more. "Excellent. Poppy, I was thinking that you could teach these members a few basic healing spells – they may come in handy later." The woman nodded with a smile, and Harry turned the group over to her, retiring to a corner to survey the room. The next few days would be busy.

A/N: I hope this chapter wasn't confusing! It's a lot of planning at once, and I'm sure the Order was overwhelmed, but looking forward to the end Harry brought into sight. Things are progressing smoothly – and quickly!


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE:

Severus ignored the uncertain looks Weasley and Tonks were giving him as they gathered, immediately taking charge of the small group.

"The Carrows are potentially the most difficult targets out of the group," he began smoothly, "and I expect you to live up to the high opinion our leader clearly has of you." He nearly snorted at their dumbfounded expressions, but managed to reign in the urge, only giving them a level look. "Our targets are dangerous, and the Carrow siblings work well together. I am leading this team because of their preference for spells that poison – let their cutting spell touch you and you will die an excruciatingly painful death. Unless you have the appropriate anti-venom," he said, inclining his head as though to say 'and that's why I'm in charge'.

"William," the man seemed surprised to be called by his first name, and Severus snorted. "You may both address me by my first name. I expect you not to abuse the privilege." Ignoring their looks of shock, Severus resumed his original sentence. "William, you are on this team because the Carrows have one of the most heavily warded residences. The only other Inner Circle members with mansions are the Notts, the Lestranges, the Goyles, the Crabbes, and Avery, but in order of ward strength the Lestranges are first, the Carrows second, and Dolohov third. As you will have noted, Harry and I will deal with the Lestranges on our own, and you are on the teams for both the Carrows and Dolohov. Do not disappoint us."

Looking at Tonks, he gave her an appraising look that made her blush. "Describe your fighting style in one word."

Tonks blinked stupidly at him for a moment, then gathered herself and replied, "Point, sir." Severus nodded, understanding that Tonks tended to take point in a group, leading the attack.

"Why," he asked for clarification.

"I have very quick reflexes and a wide variety of creative curses, so I weaken the enemy for my more powerful companions to take down."

Severus nodded again. "William?"

"Rear," the man promptly replied, "because in our curse breaking teams I tend to do the work with wards and grounded curses while others deal with more short-notice problems."

"Excellent," Severus said, feeling respect for Harry well up in him. He had known of these two members' strengths and assembled the team accordingly. "Then this is how we will do it…"

OoOoO

Similar conversations were taking place throughout the room, with Harry drifting from group to group to ensure that they had the information they needed. Stopping by Remus and Sirius, he let them know of the hidden entrance to the Avery mansion, then moved on to Kingsley to hear how he planned on dealing with Yaxley and Travers. Once he had reassured himself that Kingsley knew the pure-bloods' fighting styles he stepped away, surveying the room.

Eyeing Minerva and Doge discussing, he admitted to himself that that was the group that worried him most. He would prefer to pair someone younger with Minerva, but he knew that despite his old age, Doge was a very competent fighter. Fingering the charm he wore around his neck, he tried to tell himself that if anything went wrong, he could be there to assist them within a few seconds.

_But a few seconds can be the difference between life and death…_ And yet Harry knew that he couldn't join them; as the leader he had to remain behind so that he could assist whoever needed urgent help – help that he couldn't give if he was busy on a team of his own.

A slight smile tugged at his lips when his eyes fell on Severus's group – they were deep in discussion, and Harry was glad that Severus seemed to be getting along well with the two younger members. Severus and Bill had been on rather good terms in the other timeline, their relationship based on mutual respect, and while Nymph was never close with the Potions Master Harry hoped that they would get along better in this timeline – for if things went as before, then she would be Remus's wife, and things would be much easier if Severus was on good terms with Harry's family.

That thought made Harry look back to Sirius; somehow he thought that Sirius and Severus would never get along, even without Dumbledore's spells affecting them… Severus might make an effort, for him – and the thought filled him with warmth – but Sirius seemed petty enough to keep the rivalry alive just because he could, and Harry felt bad that he thought that way of his own godfather.

_Maybe he'll surprise me, _he thought, but the thought didn't hold much hope. He didn't know the man well, but he almost felt like Sirius didn't want to know him.

Shaking himself, he brought himself back to the present. There were more important things to worry about than his relationship with a man he barely knew. Feeling someone's eyes on him, he turned and caught Severus's dark gaze, the concern behind it visible only to him. Glad that there was at least one person who knew him so well, he walked over to the group with a smile.

"How are you doing?" he asked the three of them, and Severus's two companions turned to look at him.

"Wotcher, Harry," Tonks said with a grin, and he winked at her.

"We have a plan just about figured out," Bill said with a friendly smile. He had never gotten to know Ron's friend very well, but this older version of Harry still seemed friendly despite being clearly hardened by the war he had experienced.

"Great!" Harry smiled back, then suddenly the man froze. "Dobby!" he called. "Why didn't I think of this before?" he muttered to himself, then crouched when a house elf appeared.

"Master Harry is needing Dobby?"

"Just a question for now, my friend – can you enter any wizarding home? Wards don't affect you, right?"

Severus inhaled sharply as he realized what Harry was thinking, and Bill shot him a questioning look. Before Severus could do more than shake his head at the curse breaker, however, Dobby had already confirmed that he could and Harry was asking, "If I asked you to, would you be able to enter, say, the Carrows' mansion and cast a sleeping spell on them?"

"Dobby can do that, Master Harry!" the house elf said excitedly, seeming to understand what his master planned on doing.

"And would other elves do the same if asked to?" Harry asked, fighting to keep the excitement out of his voice and bearing.

"Yes, Master Harry, house elves would be happy to help the great Harry Potter sir!"

Finally Harry let a grin split his face. "Dobby, would you please find four house elves that would like to help and bring them here?" Dobby squeaked excitedly that he would be right back and popped away, leaving Harry grinning like a fool. He rose and turned at Severus, who had an appreciative glint in his eye.

"Brilliant," the man said softly, and both he and Harry ignored the shocked looks Bill and Tonks gave the Potions Master.

"Thank you, Severus; I just can't believe that I didn't think of it earlier…"

That Severus could understand. The man was probably mentally reproaching himself for not thinking of it in the other timeline, as that way even with few people they could have overpowered the Death Eaters. "You thought of it in time, and that is all that matters," Severus said softly, and Harry gave him a thankful look, both of them completely ignoring the presence of the others. Well, almost completely – otherwise Harry would have added a kiss to his thanks.

Then Dobby was back, four house elves with him, and Harry went down on one knee to speak with them. Explaining what he needed the elves to do, they all agreed in short order to do what Harry Potter asked of them. Thanking them, Harry told them that he would call them when he needed them to take action, saying that it would most likely be Saturday and Sunday night. They popped away, and Harry rose, magically adding the house elves' names to the blackboard so that he would know which names to call.

Moving to the front of the room, Harry called the gathering to attention. "I have spoken with our house elf friends, and they have agreed to put the Death Eater targets to sleep when we run our missions! You will not have to subdue your targets; they will be asleep, even if they aren't in their beds. Even so, I encourage you not to take any risks, but this means that you should only need to enter, bind them with an Incarcerous spell, dose them with Veritaserum, wake them and question them. Once the Veritaserum wears off you give them the choice between an oath and death, ensure that they can't leave the mansion if they swear the oath, and return to Headquarters. We will discuss what questions need to be asked and how the oath should be phrased when we meet on Friday or Saturday."

Harry grinned at the room, and many either smiled or grinned back – it was a great weight off their backs to know that they didn't have to subdue the Death Eaters. Severus looked a bit disappointed that he wouldn't have the opportunity to fight alongside Nymph and Bill, and when Harry rejoined the group he whispered to the man, "We'll have a mock duel sometime, okay? You three work really well together." Severus gave him a warm look, and Harry grinned mischievously. "We should have a one-on-one duel sometime, too – think you can beat me?"

Severus's eyes glinted at the challenge, and he leaned close to Harry to whisper in his ear, "Do you doubt my abilities?" he purred, and Harry shivered slightly.

"Never," he whispered back, a soft smile on his lips when Severus drew away. He saw the man's eyes flick to his mouth, but thankfully Severus had enough control to straighten fully, for otherwise Harry might have kissed him, company be damned.

"So, how will you change your plan now that this new factor has been introduced?" Harry asked briskly, drawing the cloak of leadership around him once more and making their two companions jump to. Severus gave him a smirk as Bill hesitantly made some suggestions, then took control of his group once more, telling Harry how they would be going about it. _The man always did know how to think on his feet,_ Harry thought fondly as Severus presented a plan that anyone else might have needed an hour to come up with. _And it's just one of his many talents,_ he smiled inwardly. Suddenly Harry was fiercely glad that he had Severus, and something must have showed in his expression, for Severus faltered mid-word, staring at Harry in stunned surprise.

"You-" he whispered, then cleared his throat and continued with his original sentence, Occlumentic barriers firmly controlling his emotions. Harry was too confused to control his own emotions, and when Severus realized that Harry wasn't paying attention to a single word he was saying he stopped and said firmly, "Later. Focus."

Harry blinked and straightened. "Sorry. Please continue from the part where you begin the interrogation." Severus simply nodded and repeated himself, both of them entirely unaware of the way Tonks and Bill were staring at them, wondering what kind of relationship the two men had.


	26. Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX:

"Poppy," Harry said softly as he laid the Headmaster back in the Infirmary bed, "could you get a Pain-relief draught? Albus doesn't look so good…"

Indeed; the Headmaster's face was pale and lined with pain, and while it suited Harry to see the man in so much pain it wouldn't do to appear heartless. He thought absently that they would have to question the manipulator sooner rather than later, adding it to the long list of things he needed to do.

Then Poppy returned with the requested potion, and Dumbledore's face eased slightly as the pain was muted. "Thank you, my dear," he smiled weakly, and she gave him a worried smile in return. When he drifted off into sleep she turned to Harry and asked in a subdued voice, "Was it this bad in the other timeline as well?"

Harry wondered how she had realized that Dumbledore had fallen for the ring's curse in the other timeline as well, then decided it wasn't important. "I'm not sure," he said carefully, pretending to think about it. He knew, of course, that this Dumbledore was in more pain due to the green potion Severus had given him, but she didn't need to know that – nor the fact that the other Dumbledore had survived for quite a bit longer than a month. "He hid away in his office a lot," Harry continued thoughtfully, "and I'm sure that you and Severus did everything you could for him… He didn't die of the curse, though," he said, and Poppy blinked in surprise. "He made Severus use the Killing curse on him," he scowled at the sleeping man and ignored Poppy's sharp gasp.

"He didn't," she breathed, and Harry looked up to meet her gaze grimly.

"Oh yes. Severus never really got over it."

Her gaze was conflicted, but eventually the fealty potion won and she sighed, "I'm sure he had a good reason…" Harry didn't bother replying.

OoOoO

"So," Harry said softly as he trailed his fingers along Severus's chest, "what was that earlier?"

Severus hesitated, knowing that Harry was asking about the strange moment during the Order meeting. Not meeting the eyes of the man who lay next to him, he said, "Your eyes… are very expressive."

"Ah," Harry smiled, understanding immediately. "I'm sorry if I overwhelmed you."

Severus looked up in confusion, and Harry reached out to stroke the other man's cheek as he held his gaze, again thinking how fortunate he was to have this man in his life. "I'm already well on my way to falling in love with you, Severus; I wouldn't have entered this relationship if I didn't think I could." He smiled slightly at Severus's lost gaze and leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to his lips. "You've seen my life, Severus – you've seen how much I valued you even when we were both bitter men," he smiled wryly. "Of course I care for you, and especially since seeing your life and what an amazing person you are; how could I not come to love you?" He curled up closer to Severus, the other man's heat warming him from the outside while his own feelings warmed him from the inside. "I was just thinking how glad I was to have you; you're such an amazingly talented and intelligent man, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have you in my life. I'll be right here until you tire of me, and if that day never comes then that's more than alright with me."

Seeing that Severus was having trouble believing him, Harry smiled and bridged their minds with a quiet 'Legilimens', gently drawing Severus into his mind to show him what he meant. Scenes from another future, where Harry slowly developed a very deep respect for the older man; how after Severus's death he often asked himself what Severus would do when planning a mission; talking to the younger Snape and feeling an immediate sense of companionship; finding out about the other man's attraction to him and realizing that he would like to have a relationship with the Potions Master; the Order meeting where he was filled with warmth by the thought of Severus making an effort to get along with his family – for he considered the Weasleys, Hermione, Remus, Tonks and Sirius his family – and then realizing with a surprising fierceness how lucky he was to have this amazing man in his life. Only once Harry could feel Severus's stunned acceptance did he break the connection.

Harry pressed another gentle kiss to the other man's lips before curling up and closing his eyes, giving the man space to assimilate the new information and figure out his own feelings. He knew that Severus had little experience with positive emotions and that the man hadn't actually expected Harry to be serious about him, but he hoped that with time Severus would come to accept that Harry was around to stay. He doubted Severus had even admitted it to himself, but Harry was sure that Severus felt more than attraction for him – the hand softly stroking his hair spoke of softer feeling than lust.

OoOoO

The next morning the only sign that reflected the revelations of the previous evening was a soft kiss before they got into their day: While Severus was off teaching Potions Harry sat down and meditated, occasionally casting the 'Abscondite' spell to hide a memory from Voldemort's Legilimency. This time he wouldn't rely on Lady Luck to get him through a Death Eater meeting.

_But what to show him if he looks…_

Harry had never really learned how to make fake memories; apparently Severus had learned it out of necessity, but Harry wasn't sure how good this time's Severus was at it, nor whether the man had enough time to make him a set of false memories. _For now I'll see what I can take from real ones…_

_Harry dueling the Weasley twins, they with mocking grins on their faces and he a snarl as he tries to overcome his opponents… A staged fight where Mad-eye hunted him down in the forest, Harry doing everything he could to get the upper hand… _

_A glimpse of Severus and Harry planning together – "The wards on Bones manor are weakening," Harry said evenly, "We should send team C to deal with them." Severus nodding; a skip to the other man saying, "The Abbots are at the Order's safe house in Portsmouth; sending someone to visit them may be advantageous." Harry agreed with a grin and the scene shifted… _

_A post-battle scene, Harry seeing Mad-eye lying dead beside three felled enemies – Rabastan Lestrange, Avery and one unknown Death Eater – impotent rage welling up in him… Severus's mangled body and Harry's snarl of hatred the next time he saw Bellatrix; going to Gringotts and nearly attacking Malfoy where he stood talking with a goblin…_

_Running down a street knowing that enemies were on his tail and that if they caught him it was all over; sitting alone on the floor, hugging himself with tears running down his cheeks, whispering, "We can't win…" over and over…_

Harry racked his brain trying to think of an instance where he and Voldemort had been in the same area without Harry making it abundantly clear that he hated the bastard, but he couldn't come up with anything. _Maybe I can borrow a memory or two from Severus, _he thought, _and put an image of the older Voldemort in the place of the current one… _That should work, and even Harry was capable of such a small change to a memory.

Deciding that he needed a break Harry stood and made his way to Severus's desk, pulling some parchment towards him once he was seated and jotting down some notes. It was time to consider what questions should be asked of the Death Eaters and how the oath should be phrased.


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN:

Harry was instantly alert and on his feet when Severus hissed, clapping his hand over his left forearm. "Let's go," Harry said, tossing on Severus's extra Death Eater robe before grasping Severus's outstretched arm; they had been waiting outside the Hogwarts gates for the call. Without another word Severus apparated them away, reappearing in Voldemort's throne room.

"My Lord," both men said, simultaneously bending to one knee. They had actually practiced this move as they waited, knowing that the first impression was crucial. Though Harry had spent nearly the entire day readying his mind for this encounter, they hoped to give the Dark Lord no reason to use Legilimency on either of them, and a unified greeting would convey the impression of competence and fealty.

"Ah, Severus, Harry… Rise, my loyal followers, and take your places in our gathering." As the two men rose they saw the Dark Lord motion to his right, and they understood that they were to take Lucius' former place at the Dark Lord's side.

"You honor us, my Lord," they said in unison, sounding appropriately deferential. Moving to their places, they watched silently as the other Death Eaters apparated in and tried not to sneer at the other followers' surprise at seeing them already present. It was true that Severus was usually the last one to appear, as he had to make his way out from underneath the wards of Hogwarts, but Harry could tell that their immediate appearance had pleased Voldemort – it seemed their strategy was working smoothly thus far.

Once they were all assembled Voldemort swept his eyes over his Inner Circle, noting with satisfaction the way a new, competent man stood in Lucius' place. "Who comes to give a report?" he hissed, looking at each Death Eater in turn. Harry had learned from Severus's memories that if one had a report to give one met the Dark Lord's eye; otherwise one's gaze should stay on the Dark Lord's shoes or the floor before his feet.

"It appears that my loyal spies are the only ones with anything to report," Voldemort said, a cold tone to his voice as he looked at his other followers. "I expected better from you. Avery, is there nothing to report from the Ministry? Walden? Gibbon? Surely you aren't there simply for decoration," he hissed.

"All is quiet among the members of the Wizengamot, my Lord," Avery said, keeping his eyes averted from the red gaze.

"I have heard nothing around the Ministry, my Lord," Gibbon added, his eyes averted like Avery's. "I will endeavor to obtain more information for the next meeting." Walden Macnair simply nodded his accord.

"See that you do," Voldemort narrowed his eyes at them. "What of you, Bellatrix? Surely you know of your dear sister's whereabouts. Have you captured the traitor's wife?"

"My Lord," the woman wailed as she threw herself to the ground, "I looked everywhere; my sister is nowhere to be found!"

"Crucio," Voldemort hissed, not bothering to listen to any more. Ignoring the whimpering woman when he ended the spell, he turned to look at the two men to his right. "Do you have better information for me, my spies?"

Severus moved slightly forward as he said, "We do, my Lord. The traitor's wife was approached by the Order of the Phoenix on Dumbledore's orders, and now resides in one of the Order's safe houses. I have already spoken with Draco, and he is of the opinion that both of his parents are fools for betraying you, my Lord." A small smirk curved the Potions Master's lips, but the Dark Lord seemed only slightly placated by the news that the youngest Malfoy was still in his grasp.

"Why did you allow the Order to approach the widowed Malfoy?" the Dark Lord asked, a warning hidden in his tone.

"It was a small concession to make for the changes we made, my Lord," Harry replied, stepping to Severus's side with a feral grin. "In the one Order meeting we attended I completely sidelined Dumbledore, all but assuming leadership of the Order. In an attempt to reclaim his position of power Dumbledore suggested to extend the hand of forgiveness to Narcissa Malfoy in order to get their hands on the Malfoy fortune – in retaliation I managed to persuade the Order that it would be wise to sway the Ministry to the Order's side, using bribes if necessary." Voldemort seemed to see where he was going, but Harry added with a grin, "Sirius Black gave me full control over the Black vaults, of course – he is my godfather, after all."

"That is not all, my Lord," Severus said smoothly, taking up the report with a smirk. "Dumbledore's influence has been removed from the younger Potter and his two closest friends, and I have already begun to guide them onto the right path. Potter especially is quite eager to see Dumbledore dead," he said with a smirk directed at Harry.

"Speaking of Dumbledore's death," Harry practically purred, "I thought it would please my Lord to know that the old bastard has but a month left to live." Seeing the surprise in Voldemort's eyes as well as the satisfaction curving the thin lips Harry continued, "I slipped Dumbledore a cursed object and passed it off as an anonymous assassination attempt," he smirked, "and Severus made a great show of doing everything he could to extend the bastard's life. Instead of dying a swift and painful death the old man now faces a month of excruciating pain," Harry said, giving Severus a look of dark satisfaction.

"Excellent," Voldemort drew out the word, savoring the expressions of triumph and vindication on his spies' faces. "I am most pleased with both of you, Harry, Severus."

"Thank you, my Lord," the two men chorused, bowing with satisfied smirks.

"Is there anything else you two have for me?" Harry exchanged a glance with Severus, then said, "We have plans to interrogate Dumbledore along with my younger counterpart and his friends using Veritaserum, to find out whether he holds any more secrets that I never discovered. I would also offer to bring him to you, my Lord – I see no reason why the old bastard shouldn't die by your hand regardless of the fact that he is already on his deathbed."

Voldemort considered Harry's words for some time before replying, "While the offer is tempting, it is wiser to keep Dumbledore where he is. Delivering him to me would betray your position, and as he is dying anyway…" the Dark Lord inclined his head slightly.

"Of course, my Lord," Harry bowed, moving back into the circle with Severus.

The Dark Lord surveyed his gathered followers in silence for a minute before rising. "Harry, join me." It was with a sinking heart that Harry walked to the spot before Voldemort and sank to one knee. He had hoped that Snake Face would forget about marking him.

"My followers, you see before you a man who has come through time and space for our cause. A more loyal and worthy man I have never met, and you would do well to treat him with the respect he deserves. Rise, Harry Potter-Black." Once Harry had risen the Dark Lord reached into his robe and withdrew a long and delicate chain. "As you already carry my mark, I give you this time a chain to wear against your skin always." Letting it pool into Harry's outstretched hand he held the younger wizard's gaze. "When this war is won I will bestow upon you the Dark Mark; until then may this chain always be with you, and may you serve me long and well."

Harry bowed deeply, bringing the hand holding the chain to his heart in a salute and knowing that Snake Face wouldn't recognize the gesture as goblin in nature.

"You may go," Voldemort dismissed them, returning to his throne and watching with red eyes as his followers bowed and apparated away. **It is going well,** he hissed to Nagini as the last Death Eater left. **Soon this world will be mine.**

A/N: Another Death Eater meeting without Legilimency! It took me a long time to decide whether or not Voldemort should mark Harry with a tattoo, and in the end I decided on a chain instead. (Though having Harry get a huge snake tattooed on his back was tempting!) It doesn't really matter, in the end – Voldemort will only summon Harry once, after all *evil grin* After that point it doesn't matter whether he has an easily removed chain or a slowly fading tattoo.  
Also, I apologize to TamiLove for writing off the Malfoys as a minor subpoint – they simply don't have any further importance to my story ;) (And nope, no Harry/Draco here, sorry!)


	28. Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT:

Harry flopped onto Severus's couch with a sigh, closing his eyes as he leaned his head against the backrest. "That didn't take as long as I thought it would," he said with a relieved laugh. "I imagined this long Legilimency session, a lot more Crucios, and much more grandstanding…"

Severus snorted as he slipped out of his Death Eater robes. "Were Lucius still around the meeting would have taken far longer; he had a unique talent to get others into trouble with the Dark Lord, and that always led to many excuses and Crucios. I daresay many of our companions were relieved to see him dead."

"Always happy to do Death Eaters a service," Harry said drily and Severus chuckled.

"Let us call together the Order; the night is growing long."

Harry stood with a stifled groan. "Do we have to take Dumbledore with us?" He really didn't feel like putting up with the old bastard. "He's probably in too much pain to do anything anyway," he wheedled, making Severus smirk.

"Indeed. However, we should at least check on him, and fetch Poppy for the meeting while we are at it."

Harry had to concede that Severus had a point, but that didn't keep him from heaving a heavy sigh before following the Potions Master to the Hospital Wing. It didn't improve his mood any to find Dumbledore awake, either, but he hid it well.

"How are you feeling, Albus?" he asked softly as they approached the old man, thankful for the lack of a twinkle in the Headmaster's eyes. If there was one thing about Dumbledore that set him on edge, it was that unnatural twinkle.

"Ah, Harry my boy," Dumbledore said, his voice faint. "You have already returned from the meeting, then?"

Harry nodded. "We were just about to call together the Order. Do you feel well enough to join us?"

"I'm afraid not," Dumbledore sighed, "but I will come regardless. The Order must have its leader, after all." Harry thought that was a pretty weak way of trying to reaffirm himself as the Order's leader – it must be obvious even to the old manipulator that that post now belonged to Harry.

"Very true," Harry agreed anyway, keeping his thoughts to himself. By then Severus had returned with Poppy, and between them they managed to get the old man into the Floo and to Grimmauld Place, arranging him on a couch before straightening and seeing who was already around.

"Hey Remus, Sirius," Harry greeted with a small smile, "Do you mind calling the rest of the Order? I just realized I left some things back at Hogwarts." He was already heading towards the fireplace when Remus said that they'd deal with it, and a minute later he was back at Hogwarts and on his way to Severus's rooms. It didn't take very long for him to get there and grab his notes, but the discovery that Severus had told Medusa to grant him entrance when he wished it immediately got him in a better mood.

"Hello everyone," Harry greeted far more cheerfully as he stepped out of the fireplace at Order Headquarters to find all Order members gathered and waiting on him. "Let's get this meeting started, shall we?"

"Got what you needed, then?" Remus asked with a smile as everyone settled into seats.

"Just some notes," Harry returned amicably. "Today we'll mainly be discussing the questions we'll ask the Death Eaters and the phrasing of the oath we'll have them swear. Let me just present the main topics we want to cover during the questionings and then we'll work out the details, hopefully with input from our Auror members," he said with a nod in the direction of the three Aurors in their midst. "Now, my thought is that the questioning should be similar to a Ministry trial – the first step is to establish their guilt by asking whether they are a Death Eater, when they joined Voldemort, whether they have any reservations about having joined, an approximate number of people they killed… The entire questioning should be recorded in some way, and only done under the effects of Veritaserum. Severus, if you would please refresh our memories on how to operate with the truth potion?"

Severus rose smoothly and faced the gathering with a neutral expression. "The target should be restrained, preferably in an upright position, before three drops of Veritaserum are administered," he began in an even tone. Catching Kingsley's eye he addressed him, "Shacklebolt, I will provide you with a flushing potion that Travers will need to ingest before you can administer the Veritaserum. He regularly takes a potion that combined with Veritaserum would ensure his quick demise, and the potion will need to be flushed from his system." Receiving a nod he continued to address the room as a whole. "Each team should have a dicta-quill and parchment with them for the questioning, and one member of each team will have to be aware of the time during the interrogation. Three drops of Veritaserum will wear off after an hour, and while not many wizards are capable of masking the transition point it is best to be aware of the time of the change. Another dose of Veritaserum is to be administered only after a minimum of ten minutes has passed since the original dose wore off. Do not administer more than three drops unless you wish for the target to die," he finished with a slight edge to his voice; no doubt expecting some of them to have forgotten that basic detail. Harry carefully kept a smile from his face.

"Thank you, Severus," he took over, letting Severus reclaim his seat. "Now that we're clear on the actual interrogation, let's work out what questions should be posed…"

It took a while, but after an hour or so they had decided on the most important questions to ask the Death Eaters and their families, if they had any. Each member on a team had a list of questions for a Death Eater target and a separate list for unmarked spouses, should there be any; the Death Eater children were at Hogwarts and would be dealt with by Severus, so there was no alternative list for those. Harry had stressed how important it was that one person on the team ask the questions while the other members keep track of the time and their surroundings, avoiding any unpleasant surprises. He also pointed out that the Death Eaters would most likely have at least one house elf, and that some of them were fiercely loyal to their masters. "Don't underestimate them," he cautioned, "but hopefully they'll stay out of our way." Some of the Order members seemed skeptical, but none questioned his words.

Harry looked around and saw that no questions or comments remained, so he clasped his hands and moved on to the next topic. "That's the interrogation dealt with, then. Once the Veritaserum wears off each target should be offered the choice between an oath and death, along with the explanation that if they swear the oath they will be under house arrest until a fair trial can be held, and that should they choose death it will come in the form of a quick and relatively painless poison. You should decide within your groups who will administer the poison should it come to that, but at this time I want to discuss the wording of the oath. Any ideas?"

It took longer to settle on the wording of the oath than the questions, for the opinions on that account were many. Moody was, unsurprisingly, in favor of a very restricting oath, while Dumbledore actually managed to pull himself together long enough to advocate an extremely forgiving oath. While several Order members seemed inclined to go with Dumbledore's suggestion, Harry was pleased to note that the majority was for a more restricting oath than that. Some members suggested swearing to never oppose the Ministry, but Severus pointed out drily that that would be troublesome, as even speaking against a Ministry employee could see the oath-taker losing his life or magic. And that was another point of contention: Should the targets swear on their life or on their magic? Harry thought that magic would be sufficient, as that would surely seem like the worse fate to them, but he could tell that Moody, at least, secretly hoped that they would break their oaths and die.

In the end they finally agreed on a phrasing, but Harry privately thought that had it not been so late the discussion would have continued on for some time longer. As it was, it was long past midnight when they finally finished, and Harry was sure that everyone was looking forward to a bit of a lie-in the next day. He however had other plans: Looking at the frail form of Dumbledore had him deciding to hold their own little interrogation the very next day. He also had to get the Golden Trio up to date – as far as he knew his counterpart didn't know about Horcruxes yet, much less about the one that had been in his scar…

_Tomorrow's another busy day, _Harry sighed as he fell into bed fully clothed, resigned to the fact that his life would continue to be busy for quite some time. _At least it's a better kind of busy than in the other timeline,_ he decided as another body joined him in bed, pulling the covers up to cover them. Yes, definitely quite a bit better than the other timeline.


	29. Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE:

"WHAT?!" three young voices cried, and Harry flinched.

"Oh, I knew I wouldn't enjoy this conversation," he said in an undertone to his companion, who simply scowled.

"I have a piece of Voldemort in my head?!" exclaimed a hysteric voice, and Harry turned to his younger counterpart with a frown.

"No," Harry said, "You HAD a piece of Voldemort's soul in your head."

"Like that's so much better," the boy moaned as he dropped his head into his hands.

Severus had reached the end of his patience, it seemed, for his voice was cutting as he said, "Are you quite done with the hysterics? I have better things to do with my time than coddle a child," he sneered.

"That's easy for you to say," the teenager hissed as he glared at his professor. "You don't have a piece of Voldemort stuck in you!"

An oppressive silence fell as Severus averted his face and the three students stared, finally remembering about Severus' Dark Mark.

The Gryffindor Golden Boy swallowed. "I apologize, Professor," he said in as even a tone he could, his eyes fixed on the rigid form of his teacher. "I spoke out of turn."

"It is of no matter," Severus said curtly, but his face remained averted.

"Alright, moving on," Harry said briskly, shooting Hermione a quelling look to keep her from asking about Severus' Dark Mark. He did want to discuss it with Severus, but not with the Golden Trio present. "The point is that we both had the same soul fragment in our scars, and when I underwent a goblin ritual it destroyed the Horcrux in your scar as well. Severus took care of us and now neither of us have our lightning scars anymore," he paused at his counterpart's surprised look. "You do look in the mirror occasionally, don't you?" Harry asked drily, and younger Harry fingered his forehead with a blush.

"Well, the hair usually hides it..." he protested weakly, and Harry smirked though he knew perfectly well that he rarely looked into mirrors himself. "One would have thought that you'd have inspected your forehead after you were knocked unconscious by a bleeding head," he drawled, strangely enjoying his younger self's discomfort. In an aside he said, "Severus, you were right – it's fun mocking a Potter," with a grin. His comment got a snort of laughter from his partner, and Severus finally turned back, his lips twitching.

"It took you this long to notice?" the man drawled, and Harry just grinned wider.

"Well, it's a bit hard to mock oneself, so I guess I had to go back in time to figure it out..." Severus couldn't hold back a chuckle at that, and Harry winked at him before turning back to the students.

"Anyway," he said, "the Horcruxes have all been dealt with, with the exception of Nagini, who I hope to deal with within the week. In fact, I hope to deal with Snake Face within the week as well, with the help of the Order." Raising a hand to stall their questions, he continued, "I haven't pushed for you to be included in the Order yet because of several reasons. The first reason is that I'm still too new a leader to the Order to bring in new members, especially ones that most of the other members would rather not have involved. I am hoping to get a Hogwarts professor or two into the Order, but that's mainly to boost the other members' confidence. Second point is that there isn't really any need to have you in the Order just yet – I am passing on all the information to you, and currently there's no action happening that you can be a part of. The third, and most important reason, is that I need you here at Hogwarts. Tell me," he crooned, "What do you think of Professor Umbridge?"

"Oh, that vile woman!" Hermione burst out, the boys' expressions showing that they would have used considerably stronger words.

"That's what I thought," Harry smiled at her. "The thing is that I can't get you involved in the fight against Voldemort, but Hogwarts has plenty of problems that will take longer to deal with than Snake Face. Come, let's discuss the problems at Hogwarts... Some paper, Hermione?" The girl blushed at being so easily read, but accepted the notebook and pen he held out to her. "Umbridge is only a temporary problem, and one that we'll deal with soon. But there are many more deep-rooted problems, such as Binns and his useless classes on history. Let's figure out the issues and see how we can go about dealing with them..."

That started a long discussion, and between the five of them they came up not only with a lot of problems affecting Hogwarts, but also several viable solutions. The Golden Trio seemed taken aback when Severus named himself as one of the problems, but he only gave them a level look. "Even without the Headmaster's spells I have no love for incompetent brewers, nor for children in general. I was forced into my post, and look forward to resigning." Looking pointedly at Hermione's notes he continued, "The logical solution would be to find a more suitable teacher – and I suggest not trying to recruit Potions Masters, as we tend to prefer potion development over teaching our passion to children with little interest for the subject. There are certified brewers that would be better choices than a Master." All this was added to the notebook, and Severus chose to point out that his was not the only subject that needed a new professor. "Not only History of Magic, but Muggle Studies desperately requires a new instructor, and there should be a course on magical culture. In fact, both that course and Muggle Studies should be obligatory courses from the first year on. Either can be dropped in third year, but children new to the magical world have need of such a course, and the Pure-bloods should learn about the Muggle world."

All the others nodded as he spoke, each seeing the truth in his words. Ron seemed a little skeptical – no doubt remembering his father's strange interests – but the others saw the use of the two courses. Hermione wanted more details, though, and asked who he would recommend as teachers for the two courses.

"In the beginning it would perhaps be necessary for a Pure-blood to teach the Muggle Studies course, lest the teacher be mocked and the objective completely missed... I would suggest Andromeda Tonks – born into the Black family, no one can deny that she is as pure as they come," Severus grimaced, "and as she married a Muggleborn I believe her to have been sufficiently exposed to the Muggle world. She always was more interested in it than the other Pure-bloods," he recalled, vaguely remembering the older girl from his school days and comments dropped by both Regulus and Sirius Black over the years. "As for the course on magical culture..." he trailed off in thought.

"How about we try another way?" Harry asked, tilting his head in thought. "I don't remember what jobs they have currently, but why not see if we can get Andromeda for the magical culture course and her husband as the Muggle Studies professor? I know that then it's not a Pure-blood teaching Muggle Studies, but I think this way it would be fine, and it would definitely make more sense to have Andromeda teaching the magical culture course than her husband!"

"It is a possibility," Severus conceded. "I do not know Ted Tonks, but the impression I have of Andromeda Tonks is that she would make an excellent instructor."

"Great," Harry smiled. "On the topic of professors I also have to say that I think it's a terrible idea to have the Heads of Houses teaching classes; each Head naturally prefers his or her own House, and occasionally that reflects in the points awarded. I believe that the Heads shouldn't be professors, but rather mediwitches, counselors, or something similar. Agreed?"

And so it continued, until they began slipping into unnecessary changes (though Harry appreciated Ron's suggestion of better brooms) and decided that they had exhausted the topic. Realizing that it was past lunch time they called for Dobby and enjoyed a meal where they were, appreciating the fact that a table appeared out of nowhere thanks to the Room of Requirement's unique capabilities. It hardly seemed fitting conversation during a meal, but as they ate Harry informed the three students of the Order's plans, letting them know of the missions and the fact that he needed them to keep an eye on the students using the map. "I'll send word once the missions have finished," he assured them, "since there's really no need for you to be up all night! It'll take long enough as it is, I think."

They agreed immediately, seeming satisfied that at least they would have some role to play even if they hadn't been able to persuade the two men to let them join. Younger Harry especially had seemed rather put out about being denied, arguing that there wouldn't be any danger since the house elves were putting the Death Eaters to sleep, but his older counterpart was firm about them staying at Hogwarts. It was true that they needed someone to keep an eye on the school, and he told them that while he knew that they were competent enough to do the missions the other members of the Order would not stand for it.

"Besides, questioning the Death Eaters won't be nearly as interesting as questioning Dumbledore…" Harry said with a dark smile. "In fact, I think we should do that as soon as we finish eating."

A/N: I think we all know what's happening in the next chapter! Now that should be an interesting conversation…  
If anyone's wondering why Severus would discuss how to improve Hogwarts with three young students, just let me point out that they are, in a way, the voice of the entire student body. Fifth year is when Harry was the head of the DA, and as such the unspoken leader of most of their year, and he always enjoyed a strange relationship with the rest of the school. Once it's obvious that he wasn't lying about Voldemort being back he'll be in the public's good graces once more, and the other students will be more likely to listen to him. He and his friends have a special relationship with several of their teachers as well, and since Minerva is next in line for the post of Headmistress their opinions are likely to be heard. Besides, we all know that Harry needs to be kept busy, since he was such a teenage jerk in the fifth book ;)


	30. Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY:

"Who's up for a bit of Dumbledore-questioning?" Harry asked with a smirk as he pushed away from the table. At the looks his companions gave him he chuckled, "Got it. I'll just go fetch him, shall I?"

Harry didn't wait for an answer as he headed for the door, deciding to walk to the Hospital Wing instead of calling on Dobby. He felt as though he was using Dobby too much when he really had two perfectly good legs – though it was true that he hadn't really given Dobby any work to do…

"Dobby," he called, pausing in the hallway. Once the house elf appeared Harry crouched down and asked, "I was wondering – do you have enough work to do?"

Dobby looked near tears at the question, squeaking, "Master Harry is so good, asking if Dobby's has enough work!" The house elf pulled out a handkerchief from a hidden pocket in his towel (and Harry once again made a note to get Dobby and Winky the uniforms he had promised) and blew his nose loudly. "Master Harry is not to worry," the house elf beamed, "Dobby is helping Winky clean Master's house!"

"That's great, Dobby," Harry said with a smile, deciding not to say that it wasn't really his house – though he was a Black, Sirius had seniority. "I'm on my way to pick up the Headmaster from the Infirmary – do you think you can pop him into the Room of Requirement?"

The elf nodded violently, "Dobby can, Master Harry! Is Master Harry wanting Dumbles popped now?"

"Not yet," Harry said quickly, "I'll call you when I reach the Hospital Wing, okay?"

"Okay, Master Harry!" Once Harry stood the elf popped away, and it was with a happy smile that Harry continued walking. No matter what time he was in, Dobby was the same.

OoOoO

It was surprisingly easy to persuade Poppy to let him borrow Dumbledore for a bit, and he realized that she didn't see him as her former student, as the future Poppy had, but as the leader of the Order and thus as her superior. It was a strange feeling, for the Poppy he had known had never stopped treating him as a child to be taken care of (against his wishes if need be), so to have her practically deferring to him was… a bit disconcerting. Though it did cause him some satisfaction to realize that if he ended up in the Hospital Wing for any reason it would make it easier to escape ahead of time.

"I'm back," he sang out as he entered the Room of Requirement, knowing that Dobby would already have brought Dumbledore to the room. "Did you miss me, my ducklings?" he grinned, finding himself in a strange mood at the prospect of interrogating the man who had caused him so much misery.

"Always," Severus drawled with a flat look that told Harry the man was just humoring him. "Shall we?"

As one they all turned to look at the man slumped in a chair in the middle of the room. "What is going on, Severus?" the old man asked, clearly thrown off guard by seeing his Potions Master in the same room as the Gryffindor trio. "Has something happened?"

"Yes," Severus lied smoothly, reaching into his robes. "But before we discuss it I promised Poppy to ensure you took your potion." Handing an uncorked potions vial to his employer, he didn't let a smirk appear on his face until after the old man had drunk the contents, soon after assuming a rather dazed expression.

"Strengthening Potion is one of the few potions that can be mixed with Veritaserum without any unwanted side effects," the Potions Master informed them smugly. Levitating the chairs over from the table he set them up in a rough semicircle facing the dosed man. "Harry, why don't you begin," he gestured for his companions to sit as he did, "and Granger, it will be more efficient if you charm the quill to notate everything said rather than doing all the writing yourself." The girl flushed at his dry tone but did as he said, though with obvious reluctance.

"What is your name?" Harry asked the opening question of any interrogation once they were all seated and focused.

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," replied the headmaster in a monotone.

"Where and when were you born?" was followed by, "What are your posts?" and, "What is today's date?" Having gotten those basic questions out of the way Harry began the true interrogation.

"Let's start at the beginning. In your youth attended Hogwarts and graduated at the top of your class. Correct?" Receiving confirmation, he asked a question that he was more curious about than anything. "Was Gellert Grindlewald your lover?"

"Yes," the response received predictable responses from his companions, including Hermione's shocked gasp.

"Is that where your idea of the 'greater good' came from?" Harry asked, and Severus' gaze sharpened in understanding.

"Yes."

"Why did you two part ways?"

"We disagreed on how the Muggles should be dealt with," came the dull reply, and Harry ignored the disgusted look Hermione wore at finding out what the Light Lord was truly like.

"But you believe wizards to be superior to Muggles?" Harry asked, just to check, and received the answer he had expected. Moving on, he asked, "When did you start using spells and potions on others?"

"Once I realized what Tom Riddle had become," came the reply.

"Why?"

"Had I used such spells on Tom, he would never have turned into Voldemort."

Harry narrowed his eyes in contradiction, but said nothing. "Who was the first person you used the spells and potions on?"

"Severus Snape." A hiss of fury came from said man, but Harry continued on as though the revelation didn't surprise him.

"Why?"

"He reminded me too much of Tom Riddle at the same age. I had to ensure that he wouldn't walk the same path." Harry wondered how Severus felt about being compared to the Dark Lord – the man had brought up his occlumentic shields and was allowing no emotion to show.

"How did you think to ensure that?"

It turned out that Dumbledore had manipulated both Severus and the Marauders in order to fan their rivalry, believing that keeping the Slytherin unpopular would keep him from attracting followers as Riddle had in his school years. Making Severus mocked and looked down upon prevented him from gaining any allies, ensuring that he wouldn't go on to become a Dark Lord. Dumbledore didn't seem to care that it was clearly driving the Slytherin directly into the folds of the Death Eaters, saying that he was headed there anyway. After all, all Slytherins were Dark.

"What about the love potion keyed to Lily Evans?" Harry asked sharply, ignoring the Golden Trio's reactions and Severus's stony expression.

"It was clear that she was not interested in him, and if his interest drove her into James' arms, all the better," was all the reasoning that had apparently gone into dosing someone with a love potion. Severus looked about ready to curse the man.

Harry exhaled slowly. "What about the Marauders?" The response was as he had expected, a very similar set of spells to the ones Dumbledore had cast on him. Spells against Slytherins, against Severus in particular, loyalty potions, etc… Nothing unexpected.

"Severus, any other questions about your school years?" Harry took the man's stony silence to mean no and moved on. "Why did you hold Trelawney's job interview in the Hog's Head?"

"So that it could be overheard."

"Did you arrange for the interview to be overheard, and if yes, then how?"

"I cast a compelling charm on Severus Snape for him to listen in on the interview, and cast no privacy spells."

"Was it a coincidence that Severus only overheard the first part of the prophecy?" Harry hadn't told the Golden Trio about the prophecy yet, but he could tell that they were catching on quickly, and he was glad that they wouldn't be blaming Severus for taking it to Snake Face. It seemed that Dumbledore had arranged everything.

"No. Severus overheard the entire prophecy, but I obliviated him before sending him off to report to Voldemort." A growl came from Severus at the way he was set up and used, and Harry had to stop himself from laying a hand on Severus' arm. He was sure the man wouldn't appreciate the gesture.

"Recite the prophecy as you heard it."

What followed was the prophecy as Dumbledore had revealed it to Harry at the end of his fifth year, and Harry was glad that that, at least, hadn't been a lie.

"You believe it to be a true prophecy?" he double-checked.

"Yes."

Harry sighed. "Was it your idea for the Potters to hide under a Fidelius in Godric's Hollow?" Of course it was. "Did you cast the Fidelius charm?" Again, yes. "Who was their Secret Keeper?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Did you know all along that it was Peter Pettigrew, or did you only find out later? Did you know that he was a Death Eater?"

"I always knew."

"Of course you did, bastard," Harry said evenly, freezing his counterpart before his fist could connect with Dumbledore's face. "We can't touch him," he said, meeting his younger self's burning gaze. "Not yet." The look he shot Dumbledore was full of dark promise, and seemed to placate the younger Harry, who reluctantly returned to his seat once he was unfrozen.

"Did you arrange for Sirius to go to Azkaban?" he asked, schooling his features once more.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied in a monotone, seemingly unaware of the negative emotions being directed his way.

"Why?"

"I couldn't have him raising Harry Potter; he had to disappear."

"I guess we should be glad he didn't just kill him," Ron muttered darkly, and Harry silently agreed.

"Why did you place me with the Dursleys?"

"Growing up in a Muggle family would ensure that he knew of Muggle culture, and the blood wards ensured that Voldemort couldn't approach him." So there was some truth in the blood wards after all.

"Did you realize that I would grow up abused?"

"No," Dumbledore replied blandly.

"Interesting…" It seemed that Dumbledore hadn't seen that coming, which was strange. "Then why did you tell me in my first year that you knew I would not have an easy childhood?"

"It would not do for me to appear less than all-knowing," was the reply.

"Right," Harry grimaced. "When did you first cast spells on me?"

"On your first trip to Diagon Alley."

"Why did he cast spells on us?" Hermione prompted Harry, and he put the question to Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter was also much like Tom Riddle when I first saw him; any negative traits had to be nipped in the bud. His friends had to be tailored in the same way or be removed." Hermione paled at the thought of her long-respected headmaster killing her, but Ron turned a violent shade of red as he visibly restrained himself from heaping abuse on the old man.

Harry kept his voice level, having realized previously in the interrogation that to give in to even a bit of his emotions would mean Dumbledore's death. "You do realize that such spells will wear off after the caster's death?"

"I didn't believe it an issue, and even so as long as the groundwork is laid the child will not revert to his previous behavior."

The younger Harry snorted. "Shows what you know."

And so it went, Harry slowly figuring out how much of a hand Dumbledore had had in all the things that had happened in his first five school years. They had to renew the dose of Veritaserum after an hour had elapsed, which Severus took care of by obliviating the man of the conversation they had just had and giving him another Strengthening Potion to drink. Once the man was under the influence of the Veritaserum once more they continued until Harry felt they had received sufficient answers about his school adventures.

Then he moved on to questions he could ask about future events. "Why were you thinking of giving me a love potion keyed to Ginny Weasley?" His younger counterpart leaned forward at the question, remembering that Harry had mentioned this in passing once before. Dumbledore remained expressionless as he replied,

"It would not do for the boy to be tied to anything but the lightest of pure-blood families, and Harry marrying into the Weasley family meant keeping him under my influence. None of the other Pure-bloods are as Light as the Weasleys."

"What you mean is that none of the other pure-blood families have as many spells on them as the Weasleys," Harry observed, keeping his voice as impersonal as before. "Did you intend for my vaults and possessions to go to you or to the Weasleys after my death?" Severus stiffened at the question, and Harry was impressed that he could sit even more stiffly than he already had been.

"Part would go to the Weasleys, but I would receive the rest," came the incriminating answer.

"You expected me to die to get rid of the Horcrux, then?"

"Yes." Harry was glad to see Severus relax a bit at the answer, realizing that the problem was already dealt with.

"Why did you want Harry to die?" Harry asked, phrasing it in a way that the younger Harry was meant. Dumbledore likely had different reasons for wanting him out of the way, after all, and Harry just wanted to know why Dumbledore wanted his past self dead.

"It would not do for another Light Lord to take away my popularity with the people of the wizarding world. They need me, but they would have naturally looked first to the younger hero instead of me. That could not be allowed to happen."

"I see." And Harry did – in Dumbledore's mind, it made sense. He was the ultimate Light figure, the one everyone looked to for answers and came to for aid, and Harry Potter was already more popular than Dumbledore ever was. Once Harry was older the wizarding world would have no need for Dumbledore anymore. "Remind me that we need to discuss our futures someday," Harry said in an aside to his younger self. "He is right in that the wizarding world will look to us, and we should figure out together what things we want to see done. Either of us is capable of running for Minister of Magic, and have the popularity necessary to both get the post and change things." Then Harry shook his head, thinking of all the things he still needed to do. "Later."

Looking back at Dumbledore, he considered what else he wanted to know. "Did I miss any of the Horcruxes?"

"To my knowledge Nagini is the only Horcrux left," Dumbledore replied tonelessly, and Harry nodded in relief.

"What do you think of Harry Potter-Black?" The answer to this question would be very interesting, Harry felt.

"He's dangerous," Dumbledore replied promptly, his eyes unfocused. "At times he seems Dark, and he is far too good a leader. He led me into a trap and I fell for it like a fool. Once I am dead he will be completely in charge, and it will not be long before he is running the country. He is just like Tom Riddle before making Horcruxes fractured his mind."

"I never get tired of being compared to my parents' killer," Harry said mildly, knowing that there was some truth in Dumbledore's impression of him. He _was_ rather like Tom Riddle: cunning, intelligent, a charismatic leader… He had been forced to see the similarities years earlier, but that didn't mean he had to like it. In fact, it had been Daphne who had first told him how much he was like the man her grandfather had spoken of.

"I think that's everything from me. Do any of you others have any questions left?" he asked, not expecting any. The three students had asked several questions when they had discussed their school years, and Severus had seemed to prefer stony silence to voicing anything. "Alright then. Severus, if you would?"

Severus stood and looked down on the man he had once respected. Raising his wand, he said tonelessly, "Obliviate". Putting the man to sleep, he called for Dobby and instructed the elf to return the man to the Hospital Wing, also giving the house elf a note for Poppy saying that she wasn't to mention Dumbledore's temporary absence to anyone, including the Headmaster himself. That done, he stood staring at the empty chair until he felt a pair of arms come up around him, pulling him back against his lover's chest. Closing his eyes, he was glad that Harry felt no need to say anything, instead choosing to simply rest his head against Severus' shoulder. It seemed that after all the revelations of the past two hours the three students needed a moment of silence as well.

Severus had never wanted to kill a man as much as he did just then.

A/N: If you think I missed any pertinent questions, please point them out to me! I thought of one or two once the chapter was written, but now I can't remember what they were anymore…


	31. Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE:

Harry released Severus reluctantly, knowing that despite how good the embrace felt, he needed to vent his anger and he needed to vent it now.

"Dobby," he said, "take us to the gates." The elf didn't question the order, carrying out his master's wish without comment. Once they were all at the Hogwarts gates Harry locked eyes with Severus and used Legilimency to transmit a destination to him. "Take Harry," he said, then turned to Ron. "I'll take Hermione and be right back to get you." He didn't wait for acknowledgement before slinging his arm around Hermione's waist and apparating them away, reappearing with Ron a minute later just as Severus arrived with Harry.

"This way."

"Where are we?" his younger counterpart finally asked as they entered a dark cave.

"A place where no one will hear us," Harry replied, his voice as emotionless as it had been up till then. He couldn't see them, but he knew that the three students were exchanging worried looks behind his back.

Reaching a dead end, he wasted no time in nicking his hand, smearing the blood on the rocks and walking on as soon as the entrance had opened to reveal a large cavern with what appeared to be an underground lake. Once his companions had stepped into the cavern he smeared his bloody hand against the rock again, causing the entrance to close once more.

Taking a deep breath, he released the shields that had contained his emotions and screamed, "Fucking Dumbledore!", ignoring the way his companions reacted. Only Severus seemed to have expected his outburst as Harry let loose a huge wave of magic, blasting the surface of the lake.

"That bastard!" Harry roared, smashing a small boat to bits and snarling ferally when he saw hands reach up from under the surface of the water. A huge ball of fire sped from his wand with a wordless roar, burning the hands in its path.

"What's going on?" Ron asked in a tiny voice, eyes wide in fear.

"He is venting," Severus replied blandly, and none of the students knew him well enough to read the emotions in his gaze as he watched the time traveler. "I believe he brought us here so that we could do the same."

"Sounds good," Harry said in a hard voice, seeing his future self loose another huge fireball. Stepping away to join the older Harry, he yelled, "Bombasta!" The huge splash the spell made while throwing dead bodies into the air was rather satisfying.

"Inferi," Hermione squeaked. "Use fire!" she told Ron as she pulled out her wand, directing a controlled blast of fire at a body pulling itself up out of the water. Severus followed it up with a far more powerful stream of fire, and found that Harry may have a point: If he couldn't harm the person he wanted to, destroying other things was rather satisfying.

It wasn't long before Hermione started casting air freshening spells instead of destructive ones, since all the fire they were casting was creating enough smoke to smother an army. It felt good to vent, she had to admit, but survival was more important. So while the others blasted and burned, Hermione took up her usual role and did what she could to keep them all from dying.

After a while Ron joined her, recognizing that he had no more fire spells in him, and she ordered him to sit down since he looked exhausted. A few spells later and Harry joined them, sitting down next to Ron.

"Man, that's exhausting," he said, but a huge grin split his face.

"Yeah – but awesome," Ron grinned back, and Hermione couldn't help but smile.

"Boys," she said in as exasperated a tone as she could manage. "And men," she added with no little amusement as she looked back at the two figures surrounded by flames. They made an awe-inspiring sight, she had to concede, standing side by side with their robes whipping with the power of their casting.

Then, for no apparent reason, they both stopped casting at the same time, lowering their wands and standing amidst the wreckage they had wrought. When Hermione finally registered that all the inferi had been dealt with the two men turned to each other, coming together in a fierce kiss that made her squeak and blush.

She watched with a slack jaw as they stood there, surrounded by roiling smoke and ashes, locked in an embrace that seemed to go on forever. "My goodness," she mumbled, and jumped when a voice spoke beside her.

"I know, right?" Harry said lowly, and she had never heard that tone of voice from him before. A look at his face revealed that he was captivated by the sight of his older self kissing their Potions professor, and she blushed even harder.

"I didn't know you were gay," she said quietly, a note of questioning in her tone, and he turned to face her. It reassured her that he was blushing, too.

"I'm not – Harry says I'm bisexual," he said awkwardly. "I thought I only liked girls, but that…" Harry gestured impotently at the two men whose kiss was rapidly becoming more… hands-on.

Hermione grinned wryly, "I see what you mean."

"Well, I don't," Ron muttered behind them, and they turned around to see him looking at the two men with an expression of morbid curiosity. "I mean, it's _Snape_," he said, shuddering. "He's not so bad anymore, but still…"

Hermione looked over at the men again, blushing once more when she saw that they were practically a step away from shagging. Averting her eyes, she said, "I guess I can see what you mean, too, but…" She paused, then cleared her throat awkwardly as a moan reached her ears. "Think we should give them a bit of privacy?" she asked weakly.

"No," Harry said at the same time as Ron emphatically said, "Yes!" The two boys exchanged a look and Harry sighed.

"Oh, fine," he conceded. "How do we get out of here?"

"I reckon the same way as we got in," Ron shrugged, looking to Hermione for confirmation.

"I think it would be best if you did it, Harry – we don't know if it has to be the blood of someone in particular, and since you and Harry are the same person…"

"Am I the only one who gets confused with calling them both Harry?" Ron asked petulantly, and both of his friends shook their heads.

"I've considered calling him by some other name just to keep them apart in my head," Hermione admitted, "but I haven't been able to come up with a good name…"

Harry nodded as he hit himself with a small cutting curse. "Same here – Harry is confusing, James is my father, I couldn't call him Potter or Black, and using a whole other name just wouldn't be him, you know?" Then he chuckled. "I did consider combining Harry and James and calling him Hames…"

His friends both chuckled, and Ron said, "That's not a bad one, mate. Hames it is," he grinned as they stepped through the entrance, closing it behind them again and giving the men within some privacy.

A/N: Lemon in the next chapter! It's not vital to the plot in any way (well, except in that it shows the dynamics in their relationship a bit more), but I felt like writing it, so… I did! Hope you enjoy.


	32. Chapter 32

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO:

Inside the chamber Severus was somewhat worried; Harry had seemed to enjoy bottoming the previous times, but it was at times like this that Severus was far too aware of the fact that Harry was, by nature, a top. The way the man was holding him, kissing him, touching him, his every movement spoke of possession, and Severus knew that he wouldn't be ready for that for a long time still, if ever.

However something in his movement must have tipped Harry off on his thoughts, because the younger man pulled his head away from where he had been marking Severus's neck and looked him deep in the eyes with a look that was as earnest as it was lustful.

"Don't worry," he murmured, his breath coming heavily. "I'm yours."

With that he kissed him, both reassuring and turning Severus on as he guided him down to the floor. Severus was further reassured when Harry had the presence of mind to place a cushioning charm on the floor before pressing his lover to the floor, peeling away the last of Severus's clothing.

"I need you," he panted, wrapping one hand around Severus's length causing the older man to moan and buck into the firm grip. Severus looked on with half-lidded eyes as Harry stripped out of the remainder of his clothing and summoned lube, stifling a moan when the man reached back and began preparing himself. "Merlin," he groaned as Harry shuddered in pleasure, obviously having found and hit his prostate.

"Just wait till it's you in me," Harry said, his husky voice turning Severus on even further. Then his lover seemed to lose patience and reached out to grip Severus's cock, the slick fingers sliding easily over his length and making him moan.

"Mine," Severus heard Harry hiss before the man bit his earlobe, right before licking the spot to soothe the sting. The mouth moved away and Severus dragged his eyes open – when had he closed them? – to see Harry sitting up and positioning himself over Severus's cock. Then green eyes locked on his in a burning gaze as Harry lowered himself, impaling himself on Severus in one smooth motion, and Merlin it was even more amazing to see Harry straddling him with his cock buried deep inside that youthful body…

Then Harry moved up, sliding along Severus's length before dropping himself down completely, eliciting a sharp groan from Severus as he raised his hands to clutch at Harry's hips. "Yes," Severus hissed, bending his legs to brace his feet against the floor and meeting Harry's heated gaze as the man braced his hands on either side of Severus's head and began to move, holding Severus's eyes as his breath came in harsh bursts.

"Merlin," Severus choked as he snapped his hips up against Harry's downward movement, closing his eyes helplessly in the rush of feeling.

"Don't close your eyes," Harry ordered breathlessly as he sat up, letting his hands rest on Severus's chest. "Look at me."

Unable to resist that voice, Severus opened his eyes to the sight of his younger lover riding him, sweat glistening on the smooth chest and need burning in the green eyes.

"Watch me, Severus," Harry said huskily, and Severus couldn't keep a moan from spilling out when Harry tightened his inner muscles around him. "What does it feel like, having me above you?" The man leaned down over him, not stopping his movement. "What does it feel like, knowing I'm yours?" warm breath tickled his ear, and something in Severus snapped. With a growl he grabbed Harry and rolled them over so that he was on top, snapping his hips to drive into his partner and enjoying the gasp it got from the smaller man.

"Perfect," was all the answer he gave before driving into the man in earnest, giving him what they both needed, their coupling all heat and sweat and an affirmation that now they were fully in control of their own actions. For that was what had spurred all this on – a desperate need for something intangible, for some sort of proof that they were free of Dumbledore's machinations. And they found it on the floor of a dim cavern that smelled of smoke and burnt flesh.

"Yes, more, yes!" Harry panted as he writhed under Severus, inhaling sharply when Severus bit his shoulder. Were Severus capable of rational thought he might have found it funny that sex turned him incoherent while Harry was rather vocal, but all he knew in that moment was that Harry felt amazing under him.

"Yes," he heard Harry hiss as he clutched the smaller man closer, hitting his prostate as he drove as deeply into the warm body as he could. "Yes, Severus, I'm so close," the man groaned, and Severus could only groan in response, closing his eyes as he neared his own climax. Then Harry was coming with a strangled cry and Severus followed him in his release, spilling himself completely before relaxing bonelessly, just barely managing to fall to one side to avoid crushing his smaller partner.

For a few minutes the only sound that filled the wide chamber was that of their harsh breathing, until Harry laughed somewhat breathlessly.

"God, it's hot in here," he said, weakly raising a hand to wipe at the sweat on his face. "Next time let's not have sex after using so much fire, okay?"

Severus didn't even bother deigning that with an answer, finding himself nodding off despite the oppressive heat. The last thing he heard Harry say was something about students being unable to apparate.

OoOoO

Outside the cave three students were wondering whether to wait for their two companions or see if Dobby could take them back to the castle, two of them trying very hard not to imagine what was going on inside the cavern they had left and one wishing he had stayed to watch.

A/N: Naughty Harry! The younger one, that is. Not that the older one is any less naughty…  
I wasn't originally planning on writing a lemon here – I thought it would actually be better simply implying what was going on, but then I decided that since I enjoy writing them, some of you enjoy reading them, and everyone who wants to can simply skip them, I wrote it after all.  
Also, special thanks go to hawk70 for being my 200th story follower! You guys are awesome.


	33. Chapter 33

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE:

"Sorry," Harry grinned unrepentantly when they found three students still waiting on them outside the cave. "Severus fell asleep."

Severus shot him a quelling look, then decided there was no point in trying to deny it. "There's no arguing with a Potter," he muttered.

"Ooooooh, dibs on being the woman in this relationship!" Harry cried, looking excited. The three students just looked on in bemusement.

Severus turned to him with an incredulous look. "…Excuse me?"

"You should date a woman sometime, Severus – you'll soon find that in a relationship, the woman is always right. Even if she's wrong." Harry nodded seriously, and Severus couldn't tell whether his tone was fond or exasperated. "So, I volunteer to be the woman in our relationship!"

Severus shot a quick look at the children and saw that they would be of no help: Granger looked satisfied, Weasley horrified, and Potter resigned. "That's absurd," he snapped, "both of us are men, and I refuse to discuss this any further. It is high time we returned to Hogwarts." With a flare of his robes he turned and strode off in the direction of the apparition point, leaving behind his dejected partner.

"Well, it was worth a try," Harry sighed to Hermione, who gave him a commiserating look despite the satisfied smile she still wore.

OoOoO

"Alright, is everyone clear on their tasks?"

The atmosphere in Order Headquarters was tense, each member of the Order focused as they confirmed that they were ready for their missions.

"Everyone has their charm on them in easy reach?" Harry swept his eyes over the gathering, nodding once he had checked that each member had their charm around their necks. "Take no risks. I have faith in our house elf friends, but it is up to you to subdue your target completely. Take every precaution; I refuse to lose even one of you again." Something in his set expression convinced them that this leader was one who would do absolutely anything to ensure their survival, and the members were quietly grateful that it wasn't Albus handling this.

Harry swept one more look over the gathering before kneeling and calling out five names.

"Master Harry is being ready?" Dobby squeaked, his face both eager and serious.

"I am," Harry confirmed. "And I thank you all for your assistance. Should one of you ever require anything, please come to me and I will do what I can to help." The other house elves looked shocked at the promise, but Dobby simply beamed.

"We is going to go put humans to sleep, then!" And they all popped away, each to their assigned Death Eater residence.

"Right," Harry said, standing up. "This is it, then. Tonight we strike back at the terrorists who have brought so much ill to this society. Tonight we end the second war before it can properly begin. Tonight we take the first step towards peace!"

A cheer went up in the room, a determined glint in each eye to do their part for that peace as they flooed out to locations from which they could apparate close to their targets' houses. Harry shook each member's hand as they left; no more words were said, but each member felt stronger for their leader's faith in them.

_Except for Alastor, I suppose,_ Harry thought with an inner smile. _That man will never change._

Then they were all gone, and Harry was left waiting with the remaining members of the Order. Turning to face them with a smile, Harry suggested, "Poppy, why don't you work with the remaining members for a while? There's no point in standing around doing nothing, after all," he winked, and felt the atmosphere immediately lighten because of his tone. "I'll be just over there," he gestured at an armchair in the corner and received a smile from the matron. Heading over, he fingered his charm, hoping against hope that he wouldn't be needed at all that night.

OoOoO

Severus led his group quietly to the edge of the wards, giving Bill a simple nod to indicate he start working on them. While most other Death Eaters had merely the basic wards that could be trespassed without much trouble, the Carrows had some very nasty wards including a few poisonous ones that would kill them if they weren't dealt with properly. Severus had no idea how good the eldest Weasley's skills were, but Harry's faith in the man was enough to set his mind at ease. Well, that and the fact that Gringotts only employed the very best.

"This will take at least half an hour," Bill whispered to his former professor. "They have some very tricky wards on this place." Severus merely nodded and gestured for him to proceed before moving away slightly to inform Tonks and erect a small protective ward around their location. That done, they settled down to wait on their ward breaker.

OoOoO

Seeing the Weasley twins being serious was an unusual occurrence for most Hogwarts students. But not a shred of their usual flighty behavior was present as they followed Mad-Eye Moody to the Nott mansion.

"I expect you both to be professional," Mad-Eye had told them intently earlier that evening, his blue eye looking off at an odd angle. "No fooling around – if you don't act seriously I'm leaving you behind. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," one of the twins had replied, his face more earnest than Alastor had ever seen it before. "You can rely on us," the other twin added, and his expression, too, convinced Alastor that Potter-Black hadn't made a poor choice when he assigned the two Weasleys to his command.

As they headed for the mansion Alastor idly spun his blue eye around to see the two boys walking behind him, only to see one of them gasp and reach out at the same time as his twin, two hands grabbing him and pulling him back roughly – and several wickedly sharp spikes pierced the earth where he had stood just a moment before. And in that moment Alastor realized that Potter-Black had known exactly what he was doing when he had paired up the veteran Auror with the two tricksters.

OoOoO

Remus and Sirius apparated directly onto the small grounds surrounding Jugson's country house and immediately began running for the back door, knowing that there was a ward that would alert the master of the house of intruders and unsure whether the house elf's sleeping charm would be strong enough to overcome that notification.

As he ran he felt the wind streaming through his hair and Remus grinned in a way that no one but a werewolf could. The hunt was on.

OoOoO

"It seems I have underestimated house elves all these years," Minerva sighed as she looked down on the sleeping man. "He didn't even wake up when we bound him to a chair!"

"Very true," Doge said, a slightly shocked expression on his face. "Without them this would have been far more difficult, wouldn't you agree?"

"My friend, I more than agree – I may have to do something nice for the house elves that aided us." It had been extremely easy to get in and subdue Rowle: The man had been fast asleep in his bed, and it had been quick work to levitate him to a chair and bind him firmly.

Doge nodded in agreement. "Well, shall we?"

"Yes," Minerva agreed, pulling out a vial of Veritaserum, the list of questions, parchment and a dicta-quill. "Let's."

OoOoO

Kingsley looked up the steps at Yaxley's townhouse, already knowing what wards were on it. He was a high-ranking Auror, after all – he had both read up on his targets and scoped out the locations as soon as he knew who he would be targeting. Everything he had read about Yaxley pointed towards what Harry had said: He would struggle, but in the end swear the oath thinking that he could bribe his way out of a trial. _Makes my job easier,_ the tall Auror thought as he made quick work of the wards on the front door and slipped inside. _Time to find me a Death Eater._

A/N: The hunt is on indeed! The beginning of this chapter is pretty darn silly, though – I'm not sure where that came from, and it probably ruins the feel of the rest of the chapter, but I thought it too fun to delete ;) Meanwhile, all the members are out dealing with Death Eaters – will everything run smoothly? I very much doubt it…  
Also, **question for those interested in the three students! **I'm not entirely sure whether I'll stick with Harry/Daphne and Ron/Hermione, so here's your chance to potentially influence my story! Would you rather see them with someone else? Do you think those pairings are good for the war, but not so good for peace? Keep in mind that they're all somewhat changed without Dumbledore's spells affecting them – Ron is more loyal, more level-headed and understanding, Hermione isn't quite as obsessed with books and rules, and Harry as we all know is more Slytherin than in the books. Let me know what you think! It probably won't play a huge part, but relationships that 'Hames' has come to expect not coming to be after all will certainly affect him. (I also quite like Bill/Tonks, somehow, but Tonks/Remus is already so established in this story that I'm not sure I want to mess with it…)  
**One more thing!** (Man, this is a long author's note – by my standards, at least.) I want to reassure the guest reviewer on the last chapter and perhaps set your minds at ease as well: Future Harry isn't going to disappear once Snake Face is dead / younger Harry reached future Harry's age / Harry gets hit by another spell… He's in the new timeline for good!


	34. Chapter 34

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR:

Harry tried to relax after an hour had passed without incident, but the tight knot of nerves in his stomach just wouldn't loosen. _By now everyone must be holding their interrogations,_ Harry thought as he played with the charm around his neck. The trouble would be when the time came for the Death Eaters to swear the oath – for to swear a magically binding oath one needed a wand. He was sure that Kingsley could handle Yaxley even if the man decided to try something, and Rowle was such a cowardly character that he was unlikely to even consider raising his wand to his two older opponents, but even so, the possibility was there. And so Harry sat tensely, fingering his charm and thinking of all the people he had sent out.

OoOoO

"Are you loyal to the Dark Lord?" The expected response came, and Severus nodded absently as he read off the next question on the list. It had taken him a while, but Bill had gotten them through all the wards without tripping any, and when they reached the inside of Carrow Mansion they found the Carrow siblings sleeping on the floor of the entrance hall – they had most likely been on their way to their bed chambers when the house elf's spell caught them. After hitting them with additional stunning charms, Severus led the way to the parlor and watched closely as his companions bound their targets. Pulling the necessary objects out from inside his robes Severus ennervated Amycus and began questioning him first. Thus far everything was going as expected, though he knew it would take them twice as long as other groups to finish as they had two people to question. _Though there may be three people at Nott Mansion, _he thought absently, _As Nott's mistress is most likely also present. _Well, that was Moody's problem.

"Do you enjoy causing people harm?" And so it went, Severus going through the questions he already knew all the answers to while Tonks kept a sharp eye on their captives and Bill guarded the room in case of any unexpected visitors. They were halfway through questioning Amycus when Severus hissed sharply, his hand going up to his neck.

"What is it?" Tonks asked immediately, and Severus glared at her as he fished out the charm from beneath his robes.

"You did not wear your charm against your skin?" he asked sharply, and her eyes widened as she scrambled to pull out her charm. It was a distress call from one of the other groups.

Severus was just about to order Tonks to go assist the other group when a luminescent Patronus burst into the room.

"Severus, I need Bill NOW!" Harry's voice came from the silver form, and the three members reacted immediately to the urgency in their leader's voice.

"William, GO," Severus snapped out, not waiting to see the ward breaker rush away as he turned to Tonks. "Should we have any difficulty with the Carrows, you will fall behind me and give me cover. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Tonks jumped to, her gaze sharp.

Severus turned back to Amycus and continued the questioning, trying to squash the feelings of unease that had surged within him. He had a task to complete.

OoOoO

Harry's fingers still rested on the charm when it heated up and vibrated against his skin, signalling an emergency call. Casting one glance at the charm Harry surged to his feet and immediately apparated directly out of Grimmauld Place – only to be bounced off of anti-apparition wards.

"Shit," he snarled as one look at the wards told him that he wouldn't be able to get through them without help. Brandishing his wand, he sent his Patronus speeding off to Severus, his heart racing as he began tearing into the wards. It was only a few seconds later that Bill joined him, but it felt like an eternity when he knew that every second counts. Bill needed no instructions when he arrived, but tore into the wards protecting the residence with a speed that far outstripped Harry's.

"Go," he panted when he felt the last ward crumble, and Harry took off faster than Bill had ever seen anyone run, his robe flapping behind him like a bat out of hell. Taking a deep breath, Bill jogged after him – those wards had taken more out of him than he had expected, and something bad must have happened for such strong emergency wards to spring up.

"Rowle," Harry roared as he burst into the room to see Doge lying unconscious on the floor and a bonebreaker curse headed for Minerva's neck. Moving faster than he had in a long time, Harry flung himself in the path of the curse and barely registered the loud crack as his left arm broke violently. With a wordless roar Harry jumped at the Death Eater, fury burning in his eyes and unrestrained violence contorting his face as he cast a series of destructive spells in quick succession. Three smashing curses impacted directly around the Death Eater, boxing him in, and Harry used a cutting spell to sever the man's ear from his head in deliberate parody of Lucius Malfoy's death.

"Give me one reason not to kill you," Harry hissed as he disarmed the man, gripping him by the neck and squeezing. It had been a while since he had last seen anyone so frightened by him, he thought absently as he snarled at the pale man.

"Traitor," the man choked out, and Harry bared his teeth in a parody of a grin.

"You finished questioning him?" he called out to Minerva, a dangerous edge still to his voice.

He heard the woman shift nervously behind him before her normally steady voice answered, "Yes." He tried not to let the shaken edge affect him.

"He was going to swear the oath?"

Again, confirmation, and Harry could almost hear the woman going into shock.

"Then tell me, Rowle," he said lowly to the Death Eater, "do you want to be alive for your trial?" The terrified face of his opponent told him that that was indeed the case, and Harry flung the man away in disgust. "Swear the oath, or I swear I will finish you."

The man scrambled for the piece of parchment, never looking away from Harry. "I-" the man looked down at the parchment and swore the oath haltingly, dividing his attention between the oath and the dangerous person whose threat he knew wasn't empty. "...and not to reveal in any way to anyone the happenings of this night, on my magic, I, Thorfinn Rowle, do so swear. So mote it be." His head snapped back up to focus on the raven-haired wizard, knowing that the oath he had just sworn would prevent him from harming the man unless in self-defense. The young man's sneer didn't reassure him at all, knowing that even in self-defense he would be unable to beat this opponent.

"Sleep," Harry snarled, stupefying the man and summoning the parchment from the collapsed man's hands. A quick spell reattached the man's ear, but that was only for appearance's sake - the man would most likely be deaf in that ear, but Harry couldn't have people asking questions. "Let's go," he said, turning and not meeting his companions' gazes. He didn't want to see their expressions. "Bill, go rejoin Severus and Tonks; lock up the house and confine Rowle to it before you leave," he ordered as he levitated Doge. "Minerva, I will apparate us back to Headquarters." Grabbing both Doge's and Minerva's hands, Harry apparated back into the room he had left so abruptly, dropping Minerva's hand as soon as they materialized. "Poppy, two patients for you." Releasing the two members into Poppy's care Harry went back to his armchair, staring straight ahead with unseeing eyes.

OoOoO

"Harry, I need to heal your arm," a soft voice called him back, and Harry's eyes focused on Poppy's concerned face.

"I can do it," he said, reaching for his wand as he remembered about the bonebreaker curse he had taken to the arm. Somehow it didn't surprise him that he had managed to hold Rowle by the neck with his broken arm and grab Doge with the same hand – adrenaline could be a very useful thing. A warm hand stopped him.

"No need for you to when I'm already here and more experienced than you," the mediwitch said firmly, and Harry acquiesced, remaining silent as she healed his arm and cast a low-level cleaning spell at him.

"Thank you," he tried to smile, and she patted him reassuringly on the hand.

"No, thank you – I would have been very sad to lose my favorite colleague," she said lightly, and Harry's smile faltered as he remembered the aftermath of future Minerva's death, seeing before his eyes the devastated expression of the mediwitch. Then a hand lightly slapped his face, and Harry was jolted back to the present, looking away from Poppy's understanding gaze. "Not in this timeline," she said firmly as she stood, brushing invisible lint off her skirt. Reaching out, she turned Harry's face to hers. "You did well."

With that she left, and Harry bit the inside of his cheek against the relieved tears that threatened to fall. No matter how Minerva treated him now, she was alive and that was all that mattered. Closing his eyes, Harry leaned back and clutched his charm, ready for any other emergency.

A/N: Tomorrow I go on vacation! I hope to continue posting my daily updates, but there may be a day or two where my travels keep me from posting. Just a heads-up!


	35. Chapter 35

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE:

The rest of the night went without any distress calls going out, and before long the members were all gathered in Grimmauld Place once more, all facing their leader.

Harry had stood by the fireplace since Kingsley returned, and traded a quiet word and handshake with each member as they returned. He had expected Remus and Sirius to return after Kingsley, but Severus got back first, thankfully knowing to keep a professional distance. Then Alastor returned with his group, and Harry began to worry – Remus's group had only one person to deal with while Alastor had said that there had been not one, but two mistresses in Nott Mansion. What was taking so long? Had they been taken out without even the chance to send out the emergency call?

Then two figures stumbled out of the Floo, and Harry couldn't help but relax slightly in relief. "What happened?" he asked sharply, and both men turned to him with rather similar expressions of annoyance.

"Sirius nearly got us both killed because he didn't follow my orders," Remus snapped, locking his jaw against further words.

Harry turned to Sirius, his eyes narrowed. "Sirius?"

"It wasn't such a big deal!" the man protested. "We got out in one piece, didn't we?" The man shut his mouth as soon as he took in Harry's expression, a cold shiver running down his back.

Harry narrowed his eyes further when the man stepped back from him. "If you can't follow orders you are a liability that we cannot afford. Remus, you will pair up with Severus for the next mission. Sirius will stay here." Turning away, Harry strode away – only to be stopped by a heavy hand on his shoulder.

Reflexes kicked in, and Harry had his wand against Sirius' throat before he could register who it was. "Don't startle me," Harry said lowly as he released the pale man, beginning to turn again when Sirius spoke.

"Killer," the man spat, and Harry froze.

"Yes," he said, and his cold tone chilled the entire room. Turning back to his godfather, he felt nothing as the man backed away from him even though he hadn't moved. "Yes, I'm a killer." His icy green eyes bore into the wide ones of the older man as he spoke lowly. "Toss me into Azkaban after this war is over, if you take such exception to me. I will do anything to ensure peace. Anything."

A heavy silence descended upon the room, and everyone believed those words.

"Thank you," a familiar voice said quietly, and Harry blinked, his cold aura fading like ice in the sun. Turning, he stared at the tall form of Minerva McGonagall. "You saved my life," she said, her gaze level. "As well as that of Elphias. Whatever you need from us is yours." Then the woman shocked the entire room by bowing low, holding the bow as everyone stared at her with wide eyes.

"Don't, Minerva," Harry exclaimed, stepping forward to urge her to raise her head. "All I want from you is your friendship; nothing more, nothing less. Please don't make such declarations!"

"Harry," the woman said, straightening to look him in the eye, "We owe you our lives. You already have my friendship, and my support; I offer you my aid should you need it." Her gaze pierced him as she said, "You will never go to Azkaban as long as I live, my friend."

The words hit him like a bludger to the stomach; for her to call him her friend even after what he had done...

"Harry," she said softly, seeing the young man's lost expression and realizing once more how troubled this person was. "I am reassured to know that you are not only willing to, but capable of, protecting those weaker than you. My heart rests easier knowing that you are in this world."

Harry's knees gave out, and suddenly he found himself on the floor, hands braced before him and his head bent as he tried to hold in the tears. "Not here," a silky voice said as Severus's cold hand rested on his shoulder, the weight grounding him. "Control it."

Harry shivered once as he brought up his Occlumency to full strength, then stilled. Exhaling slowly, he rose and met Minerva's eyes, thankful for Severus's supportive hand on his shoulder. "Thank you," he said, emotion flavoring his voice despite the shields holding it back. "I won't forget your words." She merely inclined her head in response, and after another moment Harry turned, meeting Severus's eyes briefly before moving to the front of the room.

"I'm sure everyone's tired, so let's keep this quick." Turning to face the room, he avoided looking at Sirius when he surveyed the gathered members. "Well done tonight. I expect tomorrow's missions to go even more smoothly now that you have done it once, and everyone remember to be on the lookout for booby traps," a quick look at Alastor's group and Harry saw that the Weasley twins were grinning at the old Auror, "hidden wards," a glance at Kingsley, who had triggered a nasty ward, "and above all, take every precaution when returning the wand to the target when they agree to swear the oath." Minerva nodded with a wry look at that mistake.

"Changes. Remus, Severus is in charge of your next target, and you will-"

"How can you replace me with that git?" Sirius growled, glaring at Harry and Severus in turn. "Merlin knows what he'll do while alone with Remus; I wouldn't trust that Death Eater as far as I can throw him!"

Harry gave Sirius an unreadable look before facing Remus again. "As I was saying, you will follow his orders-"

"Listen to me when I talk!"

The look Harry turned to Sirius was expressionless, his Occlumency firmly in place. "Why should I listen to a child's temper tantrum?"

"You-" Sirius choked. "How dare you call me a child!"

"But you are acting as one, no? You are a risk to your fellow members' lives, a risk that I am not prepared to take. If you can't be quiet, leave the room. We others have a war to fight." After another level look Harry turned back to Remus, completely ignoring his spluttering godfather. "Avery is a tricky one; listen to Severus and you'll do fine. The two of you work well together." At Remus's nod Harry looked back to the gathering. "A reminder of tomorrow's teams and targets: Alastor, you and Bill have Dolohov as your target. Bill, sleep in tomorrow, and thank you for your hard work tonight. Nymph, you're in charge of the twins – well done tonight, all three of you – and your target is Crabbe. Kingsley, make sure to get a flushing potion from Severus before you deal with Travers." Meeting Minerva's eyes, he said, "Your target is Goyle; since Doge is out of action you will be waiting here at Headquarters with me until the first team returns, and then you will go with that team to deal with Goyle. Severus, you and I will deal with the Lestranges only after all other missions have been completed, and depending on your condition I will ask you to help us get in," he said to Bill, who nodded in acknowledgement.

"Any questions?"

"Will the Lestranges survive you?" Sirius sneered, and several members gasped. Even through his Occlumency Harry felt a cold hand grip his heart.

"Why, Sirius," he said mildly, "one could almost think you want me dead." Spinning on his heel, Harry said, "I'll see you all tomorrow at the same time. Rest up." Then he was gone in the crack of disapparition.

Frozen silence gripped the room – until Severus stepped forward, his eyes blazing in fury, and punched Sirius Black in the face, sending him reeling to the ground with the force of his blow.

"If you speak that way to Harry again I will personally ensure you never speak another word," he spat. "He has lived without you once before; he can do it again."

"Who are you to speak to me that way, Snivellus?" Sirius growled, picking himself up off the ground and getting in Severus's face.

"His lover," Severus hissed in Black's face, ignoring the shocked sounds several members made at that revelation.

"His lover?" Sirius scoffed. "That man is incapable of loving anyone." As soon as the last word left his mouth Sirius found himself on the ground again, the blow that felled him this time having come from Remus.

"Stay away from Harry," the werewolf growled, eyes flashing yellow. "And grow up. This isn't Hogwarts anymore, and not even I will tolerate your behavior anymore. Man up, or stay out of our way until the war is over; I'm sure the younger Harry would be unhappy to lose his godfather." With that Remus turned and walked away, ignoring the hurt voice that whispered, "Remus?"

"I could not have said it better myself," Severus sneered as he, too, walked away. "Till tomorrow," he said in the general direction of the remaining Order members. With that he walked out the door, headed to Hogwarts where he would hopefully find Harry.


	36. Chapter 36

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX:

Severus stroked the soft hair of his lover where his head rested on Severus's chest. It was around midday, and Harry had cried himself to sleep only to sleep fitfully despite his exhaustion. Nightmares kept waking him, and eventually Severus had given him a dose of Dreamless Sleep, knowing that otherwise neither of them would get any sleep. It was amazing in and of itself that this was the first time Harry had a nightmare since returning to the past, but it didn't surprise Severus that it would happen now, after the events of the night. Harry had managed to tell him about the night's happenings, speaking of his fear that Minerva and William would fear him for his actions, his relief at Minerva's acceptance, his heartbreak at Black's words...

_Life is never boring with you around, _Severus thought mildly as he ran his fingers through raven locks. Somehow he felt that even after peace was won and the wizarding world set to rights life would not be boring as long as this man was around. Oh, but Severus looked forward to going somewhere quiet and having a few days of rest...

Then the man beside him stirred, and Severus's hand stilled. "Good morning," he said softly, and Harry groaned quietly in response, tightening his hold on the taller man. Severus smiled slightly as he returned the gesture – it wasn't as though he had anything to do that day, after all.

"Ah," he said then, "I forgot to mention that the Order knows about us now."

Harry stilled. "Huh?" he asked, and Severus smirked.

"So eloquent." Tipping Harry's head up, Severus used Legilimency to show Harry the scene that had played out after his departure. "So, they know," he said in a matter-of-fact tone, settling back into their hold and giving Harry space to deal with his emotions. He didn't even entertain the thought of Harry rejecting him for telling everyone of their relationship – Harry had made it more than clear that he didn't care who knew, after all.

"Thank you," Harry said softly, and Severus moved his hand to stroke his lover's hair once more.

"Anytime," he replied quietly.

OoOoO

"Sorry," Harry sighed testily as he smoothed a hand over his face. It must have been his fifth apology already. "Everything was quiet here?"

"Yeah," his younger counterpart said, arms crossed. "You could have let us know when the missions were over," he grumbled again, and Harry finally snapped.

"Well, excuse me for being busy! Excuse me for having to deal with the fallout of Minerva and Doge nearly dying! Excuse me for having my own godfather wish I was dead!" Chest heaving, Harry stepped back, turned and ran.

"...Figure you went too far, mate," Ron said, and Harry snapped, "I know, alright? I know!"

Hermione looked more pensive than surprised, though. "Sirius wishes Harry was dead?" The two boys immediately froze.

"He wants me dead?" Harry asked and Hermione sighed.

"Not you, Harry – Hames."

Harry shook his head incredulously. "Hames IS me!"

"Not really," Hermione said, giving him an even look. "He used to be, but you won't grow up to be like him – in fact, he's doing everything he can to prevent just that from happening. Sirius wants him dead, apparently – I doubt that feeling extends to you."

Even so, Harry looked rather shaken. "Why does he want him dead?"

Hermione nibbled on her lip in thought. "He probably can't deal with a Harry who's more mature than him. Maybe he thinks, "This can't be my Harry," and wishes that Hames had never appeared and messed up his life. I doubt he actually wants him dead – just gone."

"We could ask Sirius," Ron shrugged. "Come, let's go write him a letter."

They started walking, but Hermione said, "You two go; I'd like to find out what happened. Harry, could I borrow the Map?" Harry handed over the parchment without any comment, but she nodded to his unspoken request that she tell them of what she learned later. "See you two later." Ducking into an abandoned classroom Hermione activated the map, searching for the time traveler and finding him in Professor Snape's private quarters, his dot almost right on top of the Potions Master's. Hermione blushed but headed out, determined to speak with the older Harry.

When she reached the entrance to the Professor's quarters she addressed the statue as she would a portrait. "I would like to speak with Harry; if he's busy," she tried not to blush, "I can come back later. Could you please let him know that?"

She heard a faint hissing sound and assumed the snake was letting Harry know about the visitor, and hopefully her message as well. _Isn't it impractical to have a snake guardian when one doesn't speak Parseltongue? _she wondered. After all, as far as she knew Professor Snape wasn't a Parselmouth.

Then the statue slid to the side, and Hermione heard Harry's voice calling for her to enter, so she did.

"Hey," she smiled at him, finding him sitting in Professor Snape's lap on the couch, his arms around the older man and his eyes red from crying. "Sorry about earlier; though I daresay you know what Harry's like."

That drew a faint laugh from the man. "Oh yes, I know what Harry's like," he said, a wry smile pulling at his lips. "What brings you here, Hermione? I know you too well to think you came here just to apologize."

Hermione blushed slightly at being caught, but nonetheless leaned down and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek. "Hello, Professor," she greeted the other man, feeling a bit flustered at having just come so close to the man's face since he and Harry were sitting so close together. "I apologize for intruding."

"It is of no matter," the man said, but she thought he seemed satisfied that she had thought to apologize.

"I came because of what you said, of course," Hermione finally replied to Harry's question, sitting down primly in one of the Professor's armchairs. "Is Professor McGonagall alright?" She was glad to see Harry relax slightly at the question; no doubt he had expected her to immediately question him about Sirius.

"She'll be fine," Harry reassured her. "I got there just in time to shield her from the bonebreaker curse that would have killed her."

Hermione gave him a sharp look. "By throwing yourself in front of her?" she guessed, and to her surprise Professor Snape chuckled.

"She knows you too well," he remarked drily to his lover, and Harry pouted at him.

"Well, she IS my best friend, after all," Harry retorted, and Hermione felt warm at being called his best friend.

Then she realized that she had been right in her guess, and covered her face in despair. "Six years on, and you still haven't learned not to throw yourself in front of people to save them?"

"Hey, she would have died otherwise!" Harry protested, and Hermione raised her head to fix him with an intent look.

"A protego wouldn't have done it?" she asked drily, and Harry flushed and muttered something about it not being as secure or something. Hermione gave Professor Snape a commiserating look and said, "Good luck keeping him alive; this one's your responsibility now. I have my hands full dealing with just the one!"

"I suppose the challenge will keep me from ever being bored," the man retorted drily, and Hermione laughed.

"Oh, yes – life is never boring with Harry around!"

"I'm still here, you know," Harry whined, and Hermione grinned at him.

"Poor, poor Harry," she crooned. "Do you feel ignored?"

The young man fell back on the most fitting response he could think of – he stuck out his tongue at her.

"Merlin, I took a child for a lover," Professor Snape deadpanned, and Hermione laughed again.

"Well, at least he's over the age of consent," she grinned.

"At least that," the Potions Master agreed, giving his lover a look that made Hermione blush.

"Forget I said that," she said, and this time Harry laughed at her.

"Poor, poor Hermione," he mimicked her tone from before, "Do you feel awkward now?" as he asked that he curled up even closer to his partner, nosing the man's neck.

"No," the girl said resolutely, ignoring the fact that she was blushing hard enough for someone on the other side of the room to notice. "Stop that," she snapped as Harry started trailing his hand down her teacher's body as he kissed his neck. Then Professor Snape made a small noise and Hermione squeaked, burying her face in her hands. "Okay, okay, I give in! I feel awkward! Stop it!" It didn't help her blush when Professor Snape chuckled along with Harry, but at least Harry had stopped when Hermione looked back up.

"You're terrible," she informed the room, refusing to meet Harry's eyes.

"Yep," he chirped. "Thanks for adding that noise, Severus – that was hot." Hermione looked back and saw Harry grinning somewhat dangerously and her teacher smirking back.

Sighing, she said, "Alright, now that you've embarrassed me sufficiently, can we get back to the topic I came to discuss?"

The mood immediately fell, the grin wiped from Harry's face, and Hermione shook her head. "I just want to know what happened," she said softly as she stood and kneeled on the carpet in front of Harry. "You're still my best friend, Harry – of course I want to know what the matter is," she said earnestly, holding his gaze. "Please, won't you tell me?"

The silence stretched for a long minute, his eyes conveying to her just how little he wanted to discuss it while hers showed him that she was just asking because she cared about him. Finally she added quietly, "If you don't want to talk about it can I discuss it with Professor Snape?" She was sure that Harry's lover would know all about what had happened, after all.

Harry closed his eyes, seeming to weigh the options and eventually deciding on one. "Please do," he said, giving her a faint smile as he opened his eyes. "I'll just go back to my quarters for a bit." He stooped to give her a kiss on the cheek before pulling her to her feet, sliding off the Potions Master's lap. "Sorry," he said softly to the man, giving him a brief kiss before walking away, leaving Hermione alone with her professor.

A/N: Seems that Future Harry and Hermione will be closer than I had expected! Instead of Harry assuming an older brother relationship, their relationship seems mostly unchanged. That may be because she was something of an older sister to Harry in the previous timeline, of course ;) Old habits die hard, after all!


	37. Chapter 37

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN:

Hermione spared only a moment to feel awkward in the presence of her Potions professor before getting to business. "What happened?" she asked worriedly as she sat down on the couch beside her professor.

Professor Snape fixed her with a searching look, and she did her best to meet his gaze evenly. "Will you be telling your friends?" he countered, and she immediately nodded.

"Of course. Harry deserves to know why Sirius apparently wants a future version of himself dead."

Interestingly, Professor Snape flinched. "Yes, I can see what you mean. What precisely did Harry say to you?"

Hermione sighed. "Harry was sulking, saying that we should have been told when the missions ended, when Hames – we've been calling him that to differentiate between them – exclaimed "Excuse me for being busy! Excuse me for dealing with Minerva's near-death! Excuse me for my own godfather wishing I was dead!"... or something along those lines, at any rate. Then he ran away."

"I see," Professor Snape sighed in turn. "Black has been finding it hard to accept Harry – he cannot understand a godson who is a killer." He raised a hand to quell her protests, "his words, not mine. Harry IS a killer, but only by necessity. Unfortunately, while Lupin understands this, Black does not. In Lupin Harry has found support and love, but Black..." The Potions Master grimaced. "Last night Black and Lupin went on a mission together, and Black apparently nearly got them both killed because he was unable to take orders from Lupin, whom Harry had placed in charge." Hermione sucked in a breath, and her professor met her eyes with a grave look. "When they returned to Headquarters, Harry decided – and rightly so – that Black was a liability, and took him off the team. I was to take his place and work with Lupin, except that I was to be the one in charge. Black took exception to this, asking how Harry could replace him with me, and that he wouldn't trust me as far as he can throw me. Not that he could throw me anywhere," the man muttered darkly to himself. "Harry did the right thing and ignored the man – and when Black took offense to that as well, Harry said that he saw no point in paying heed to a child's temper tantrum."

Hermione's lips twitched at the description – she had always felt that Sirius was little more than a big child.

"Once Harry said that Black could either shut up or leave the room, saying that we others have a war to fight, Black quieted down for a while – at least until Harry had finished going over the missions for this night. After Harry finished by saying that he and I would be dealing with the Lestranges and asked whether there were any questions, Black asked, "Will the Lestranges survive you?""

Hermione gasped, her hands coming up to her mouth.

"Harry kept himself under control, merely saying, "Why Sirius, one could think that you want me dead," before apparating out." Then Professor Snape bared his teeth in an approximation of a grin. "I punched Black for speaking to Harry in such a way, telling him that the next time it happened I would ensure that he was incapable of repeating the mistake." To his surprise, the girl beside him nodded firmly as if saying that she would have done the same. "He asked me who I was to speak that way to him, and when I informed him of our relationship he scoffed, saying that Harry was incapable of love." Severus looked on in satisfaction when the girl surged to her feet with a growl, appearing ready to beat up Black single-handed. "Lupin punched him that time."

"Good," Hermione said emphatically. "I wish I had been there to do the same! Please tell me he's hurting," she rounded on her professor with a hard look in her eyes.

"Oh, I would say he is," Severus said with no little satisfaction, settling back against the couch. "Despite our appearances, neither Lupin nor I are weaklings. Lupin's parting shot was superior to mine, though," he said almost regretfully, "as he told Black to either grow up or stay out of our way until the war is over, as the younger Harry would surely be unhappy to lose his godfather."

Hermione looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I'm surprised that Professor Lupin could make such a threat – weren't he and Sirius best friends?"

"Yes," Severus said succinctly, "but Lupin regards Harry – what did you call him, Hames? – as he would a son. Harry returns that in full, treating the werewolf like a father. Oh, don't bristle so – I didn't call him a werewolf out of spite." Hermione blushed slightly under his reproachful look.

"Sorry, Professor. Old habits die hard."

"That they do," the man agreed ruefully. "However, I have nothing against Lupin. He is, as I mentioned, like a father to my lover. It would be remiss of me to be at odds with someone so important to Harry."

The girl's face softened at the admission, and she settled back down on the couch. "You two are serious, then?"

"Poor word choice," Severus muttered, glowering as he remembered the terrible pun that the Marauders had overused during their school days.

"Huh? Oh, for goodness' sake," Hermione exclaimed, giving him an exasperated look. "Answer the question, would you?"

"Is that any way to speak to your instructor?" Severus shot her a quelling look, but to his surprise the girl only pursed her lips.

"When I'm speaking with my best friend's lover, yes." They held a brief staring competition before Severus backed down, surprising himself at his willingness to get along with Granger. She was a loyal friend – and no longer as insufferable as she had once been.

"We are," he conceded quietly, unprepared for the bright smile that illuminated her face at his words.

"Oh, wonderful!" she enthused. "You two are so good for each other, and I'm glad Harry has someone now that he can't be together with his previous partner anymore."

Severus inclined his head. "I admit, I too am gratified that he has found someone now that Greengrass is unavailable to him." As soon as the words were out of his mouth he cursed himself, for Granger's eyebrows rocketed upwards.

"Daphne Greengrass? That's interesting..." Thinking, Hermione said, "I suppose I can see it... She's very intelligent, somewhat cold, but with a hidden mischievousness... And Slytherin, of course." Then she grinned at him and said, "You two are actually rather similar, no?"

Severus scowled. "Enough," he said, rising and making a shooing motion with his hands. "Out with you." To his surprise the girl laughed, the sound ringing out like a bell in his quarters. The second person to laugh at the things he said.

"Yes, sir," she said genially as she rose, smiling up at him. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, Professor."

"When we are in private you may call me by my given name," he said after a pause, deciding that it hadn't been a hardship to speak with the girl. At her surprised look he said haughtily, "You are, after all, my lover's best friend."

Hermione beamed at him, knowing that the relationship was serious indeed if Professor Snape was giving her permission to call him by name. "Thank you, si- Severus. Please, call me Hermione." On a whim she curtsied, and grinned wider when her professor bowed in return.

"Hermione," he acknowledged. Then a smirk appeared on his face. "Do not inform your friends of the change – I look forward to their expressions when we call each other by name in front of them."

A playful glint entered Hermione's eyes, and she grinned mischievously. "Sounds good to me, s- Severus. Good luck tonight!"

"Luck is unneeded when one is sufficiently capable," the man replied evenly.

"Even so," she insisted, knowing better than to argue the point. "Your companions may need the luck."

Severus stifled a sigh. "Indeed, you may not be wrong. I shall see you in class on Monday, Hermione."

"Until Monday, then," she returned with a smile, turning to leave. "If I don't see Harry before tonight, please wish him good luck from me – that boy needs all the luck he can get, considering all the dangerous situations he gets himself into..." With that she was out the door.

"Well, that was... not terrible," Severus said to himself once the entrance had closed behind her. Perhaps it would not be such a hardship to get along with Harry's friends as he had feared.

A/N: Oh, that was so much fun to write! You may have noticed that I very much appreciate not only Harry/Snape stories, but also Hermione/Snape. (And Harry/Hermione!) So it makes me very happy that the two of them get along so well in this story as well.  
In regards to Harry being a killer – Hermione may wish to deny it, but intellectually she knows that it's absolutely true, and not just for future Harry. Or has everyone forgotten that Harry DID kill Quirrell in his very first year at Hogwarts? Perhaps the wider wizarding world doesn't know, but I'm sure that at least Ron and Hermione know that Harry killed his first man at eleven years of age.


	38. Chapter 38

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT:

"Hermione wishes you good luck," Severus said quietly, not taking his eyes off the other Order members waiting in Order Headquarters.

Harry snapped his eyes to his lover with a shocked expression. "_Hermione?_"

"She gave me permission to use her first name when in private," Severus supplied without turning to his partner, neglecting to mention that he had been the first to offer such permission.

"…Wow," Harry said, a grin spreading over his face. He hadn't asked about the conversation the two had had, not wanting to know the details, but now he regretted not having asked. It seemed the two of them had gotten along a lot better than he had expected!

Then a thought occurred to him. "You gave her permission to use yours first, didn't you?"

Severus blinked in surprise and finally turned to look at Harry.

"She wouldn't have offered it first, knowing that as her professor it would give you more power over her," Harry answered Severus's questioning look, and Severus snorted lightly in reply.

"Why is everyone suddenly far more Slytherin than I had thought them capable of being?" he asked rhetorically.

"Ask Dumbledore," Harry replied darkly, turning his gaze back to the room at large. The only members currently out were Minerva and Kingsley, who had teamed up to take care of the Goyles once the Auror had finished with Travers. Everyone had been even more careful this time around, and none of the teams had experienced any difficulties. In fact, both Remus and Severus had returned seeming rather pleased at how they had worked together, which had made Sirius leave the room in a rage. Teaming up the three tricksters – Tonks and the Weasleys – would have been a choice questioned by many, but they worked well together due to their natures being similar. Despite that, Harry preferred the teams of the previous evening, believing that having opposite characters on the same team was a better method than grouping similar types together.

Just then the Floo flared to life and two perfectly composed figures stepped out simultaneously. Kingsley immediately spotted Harry and saluted his commander.

"Went off without a hitch," he said in a smooth bass voice. "Both Goyles swore the oath and are under house arrest."

"Excellent," Harry said, locking his hands behind his back. "That's the last team finished," he said to the room at large, aware of all eyes on him. "Only one target remains. Bill, if you would accompany us it would be much appreciated. Kingsley, Alastor, and Poppy, please wait at Headquarters in case of an emergency. Mrs. Weasley, you're welcome to stay as well, if you feel you'll worry about Bill until we finish," he smiled at her. "Everyone else, thank you for your hard work tonight! I'll call another meeting tomorrow so that we may discuss the next step, but for now go home and rest! Tomorrow is Monday, after all, so many of you will not be able to sleep in. Minerva, please ensure that Fred and George reach their beds safely," he winked at the woman. She was the one responsible for bringing the Weasley twins to the meetings and returning them to Hogwarts, as they had insisted on being members upon reaching their 17th Birthday. Dumbledore had seen no reason to deny the request, assuring their mother that they would not be participating in any missions. Harry had changed that, of course, but they were too useful to leave sitting around at Headquarters.

"I'll see you all tomorrow!" Trading the occasional handshake or nod of the head, Harry was only able to call together his team when the other members had left.

"Alright: Lestrange Manor. Bill, I want you along to get us through the manor's wards, and I'm almost certain that after that you'll be out for the count. Once we're in you're to return here and report to the present members," he gestured at Alastor and Kingsley in particular, "and then get yourself to bed. I'm sure your mother will be happy to help you with that," Harry grinned. Ignoring Bill's grimace, he turned to the two Aurors.

"Alastor, Kingsley, you're our backup in case we call for assistance. I do not expect to need your assistance, but I will send out the emergency signal at the first notice that something may be off. Bill, you'll please take off the charm before going to bed – it will simply disturb your rest if something does happen, and you will be in no shape to help us." Harry held his gaze until the redhead reluctantly nodded, then turned on to Poppy.

"Again, I don't think your services will be needed, but I would prefer to have you on hand just on the off chance that something does happen. Sorry for keeping you from your bed," he smiled crookedly, but she merely waved him off.

"That's it, then," Harry said, nodding to each person in turn. "Let's get going." Grabbing both Severus and Bill, he apparated them to their destination, as only he and Sirius could apparate directly out of Grimmauld Place. He held his two companions steady as they materialized before Lestrange Manor, knowing that the side-along apparition would have them off balance.

"Whenever you're ready, Bill."

OoOoO

Harry and Severus walked silently through Lestrange Manor, the younger man slightly in front of the Potions Master. As Dobby had been the elf to put the Lestranges to sleep, Harry was absolutely sure that they wouldn't wake no matter what he did, but even so the two intruders walked in a combat-ready formation.

Severus made a very soft noise behind him, and Harry promptly stopped, realizing that they had reached the first occupied bedroom. Turning, he gestured silently for Severus to precede him, and the man opened the door after checking the door for possible defenses. Harry entered the room behind him only after the other man had thoroughly checked the room, immediately hitting the witch lying in the huge bed with a stunning spell. A hand on Harry's arm ensured that the stunning spell was the only one he cast, and Harry realized that his entire body was shaking with hate.

Spinning on his heel, Harry walked out and headed to the next bedroom, making short work of the jinx on the door and stunning the occupant – Rodolphus Lestrange – before moving on to the next occupied room. Rabastan, too, was merely stunned despite Harry's burning wish to do worse.

"Let's question them," he said curtly to Severus. "Shall we start with Rodolphus?" At Severus's agreement Harry bound the other brother firmly to his bed, ensuring that he couldn't escape even if he should somehow cast off the stunning spell.

One hour later, Rodolphus Lestrange was dead and Harry faced Severus once more, his face revealing his disgust for the man they had just killed. "Bellatrix or Rabastan next?"

Severus looked at him with an expressionless face as he considered the question. "Whichever you prefer," he eventually replied, and Harry nodded tightly.

"Rabastan, then."

As they headed for the younger Lestrange's room Harry asked, "You ensured that Bellatrix can't escape?"

"She is under the effects of the Draught of Living Death," Severus replied evenly, and Harry actually chuckled in surprise.

"That'll do it," he grinned, knowing that she wouldn't wake from the false death until the antidote was spelled into her. Then they entered Rabastan's rooms and Harry's grin faded. _Interrogation first, revenge later,_ he reminded himself as he eyed the tied-up form. Oh, the things he wanted to do to the Death Eater…

"Let's get this over with," Harry said, his voice ice cold.

OoOoO

Severus could feel Harry's magic roiling as he questioned Rabastan Lestrange, and it made him nervous. Not that he showed it, of course. Neither of them did, in fact: Both Severus's and Harry's faces were perfectly blank, their emotions hidden as they questioned another monster masquerading as a man, but while Severus was capable of completely muting his emotions, Harry was only capable of hiding them – which meant that his emotions were running wild just below the surface.

And that made Severus very nervous indeed.

"Will you renounce the Dark Lord, or would you prefer death?" Severus asked the final question.

"I will die before betraying my Lord!" the Death Eater snarled, his personality shining through despite the mind-numbing properties of Veritaserum.

"Very well," Severus said, his heart rate speeding up now that the questioning was over. He had no idea what Harry planned on doing now, but he had a very bad feeling about it.

"Tell me, Rabastan," Harry said pleasantly, and Severus nearly winced at the dark and dangerous undertones to his soft voice. "Have you ever been tortured before?"

A cold feeling froze Severus as he realized what Harry was planning. _He has never tortured anyone before,_ Severus thought with painful clarity. _He has questioned, but never tortured. He has never purposely inflicted pain on another person in that way._

"Harry," he said, keeping his eyes calm on Rabastan and his voice level through sheer force of will. "Please leave us."

He could feel Harry's incredulous gaze on him, but he didn't look at his lover as he said, "This is a matter between the two of us."

To his relief, he felt Harry's magic settle somewhat, and Harry sounded much calmer as he said, "Of course. Do you want me to get started on Bellatrix?"

"No," Severus said evenly, "This will not take long."

"I'll wait outside for you, then," Harry said, and left with a measuring look at his lover. Severus suspected that Harry knew that he had no intention of making Rabastan pay for the things he had done, but it seemed that Harry felt it was Severus's revenge and not his, and that as such the older man was entitled to getting satisfaction however he wanted.

Once the door shut behind Harry Severus spent a full minute simply looking at his former schoolmate, fellow Death Eater, and rapist. Then, without speaking a word, he reached into his robes and pulled out a small vial. Hitting the other man with a compulsion spell, he set the vial to the man's lips and watched as the man drank down the colored liquid. Stepping back and corking the vial, Severus watched silently as the poison took effect, killing the Death Eater in the same way as it had his brother.

With a last shaky convulsion, Rabastan Lestrange was still.

Letting out a breath that Severus hadn't known he was holding, he spoke five words: "I am better than you." With that he turned and walked to the door, opening it to find Harry waiting for him. And suddenly he knew that if not for this man, he would never have dealt with his past in such a way.

Reaching out to grab the back of Harry's head, he pulled the man into a hard kiss, showing him without words just how much he meant to him. Pulling away slightly, he licked Harry's bottom lip. "Don't lower yourself to their level," he whispered against soft lips. "They are murderers, rapists, monsters. You told me that you didn't rape Lucius in revenge for Bones because you didn't think you could have lived with yourself afterwards – do not stoop to their level and turn to torture for revenge. You are better than that." That said, he leaned back down into the kiss, this time showing just how earnestly he meant those words. Harry stood frozen for a moment, but then relaxed into the kiss, stepping closer to the taller man.

"Why do you always know better?" the younger man murmured, and Severus's heart tightened at the mix of emotions in his lover's voice.

"Because I learned that while 'an eye for an eye' sounds fair, all it truly does is put you on the same level as the other person," he replied lowly. "And that revenge is never as satisfying as one had thought it would be."

Harry smiled wryly, dropping his head to rest his forehead against Severus's shoulder. "Thank you."

"It is of no matter," Severus said, tightening his hold around Harry for a moment before relaxing and stepping away. "Come, let us go interrogate Bellatrix. I have another vial of poison that you can use."

Harry still had that strange smile on his face as he turned and led the way to the first room they had entered. Severus just hoped that the man wouldn't come to regret the lost opportunity, knowing full well that the man had spent many years wanting to hurt the woman for killing his godfather, then wanting to torture the woman to death after she had done just that to Severus. And while Severus could understand those feelings, he knew that Harry wouldn't be able to live with himself if he let himself become the same monster that she had been.

A/N: I'm sure some of you are disappointed that Rabastan and Bellatrix didn't get what they deserved, but this course of action is what made sense to me. Harry was able to kill Lucius the way he did with no remorse because he was straight out of a battle, with adrenaline rushing through his veins, but this would have been torturing and killing in cold blood, and that would have weighed very heavily on Harry. He is still very much a Light character, even though he occasionally doesn't act as such.


	39. Chapter 39

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE:

When Harry and Severus returned to Grimmauld Place they found Remus waiting for them along with Alastor, Kingsley and Poppy.

"It all worked out without a hitch," Harry smiled tiredly; it was already long past 6 AM, and all-nighters did not lie well with Harry. Then he turned to Remus with a pout. "Severus didn't let me torture them," he whined, and behind him Severus rolled his eyes.

"Behave," the man said, lightly hitting the back of Harry's head and ignoring the betrayed look his lover turned on him. "It's the lack of sleep talking," he informed the other adults, who chuckled or shook their heads depending on their personalities.

"Then I'm glad Severus was with you," Remus said to Harry with a soft smile.

The younger man grinned sheepishly. "So am I," he confessed. "They did deserve it, though..." Moody grunted in agreement, and the other men's silence spoke volumes.

"Enough," Poppy clapped her hands. "I, for one, am exhausted, and the school day begins in just over an hour. We can discuss this at length another time." That said, she strode to the Floo and cast a look back before entering the fireplace. "Are you coming or not?"

"The good Madam is right," Severus said, following her briskly. "There is another meeting this evening; we shall see you then." Harry followed with a wan grin and a wave, disappearing into the flames as the two before him.

Remus sighed. "Thank goodness Harry has Severus," he said quietly. He knew how heavily the weight of killing people weighed on Harry – he didn't want to know how hard it would have been on Harry to have the weight of torture added to it.

"They do appear to be better suited than I had at first thought," Kingsley acknowledged, and Alastor grimaced but didn't protest. "But that is a discussion for another time," the man smiled. "Let us follow their example – I, for one, am on duty tomorrow."

"Good luck with that," Remus returned with a smile, and Kingsley snorted lightly.

"Thank you." With a wave the man left.

Remus sighed tiredly and turned to the last man. "Can I offer you a room to rest in for a small while? I don't know about you, but I am dead on my feet."

Moody considered the offer for a few moments, his blue eye spinning around wildly, before jerking his head in a nod. "I appreciate it, Lupin. It has been a long night."

Remus smiled crookedly as he led the way out. "That it has been."

OoOoO

It was with a slight sense of vindication that Harry called for Dobby. "Please go let Harry, Ron and Hermione know that we have returned from the last mission," he said with a dark grin. It wasn't his fault if Dobby had to wake them up to deliver the message, right?

"Yes, Master Harry!" The elf chirped, seeming to understand why Harry was asking him to do so, and Harry once again wondered just how much house elves overheard.

Once the house elf was gone Harry and Severus got changed, having decided to sleep for a while. Severus would have to get up again in an hour, but it wasn't like Harry had anything else to do that day. They were just slipping between the covers when Dobby reappeared. "Grangy says thank you for letting her know, and Mister Harry Potter sir and Wheezy say for Master Harry to go screw himself," the house elf reported cheerfully, bouncing lightly on the spot.

"Thank you, Dobby," Harry laughed. "I'm going to sleep now; please wake me if there's anything important."

"Yes, Master Harry!" Dobby acknowledged, popping away more quietly than usual.

"Dobby's the best," Harry smiled as he rolled over and laid his head on Severus's chest. "Good night, Severus," he yawned widely, and heard his lover's smile in his voice when he echoed the phrase.

OoOoO

"What's got him in such a rotten mood?" Ron muttered darkly as he cut pickled slugs for that lesson's potion.

Hermione shot her friend an exasperated look. "The man was most likely up all night, and you wonder why he's short-tempered?"

"He should have just cancelled the class, then," Harry retorted testily, and she bit back an annoyed reply, concentrating instead on her cauldron. Some days she wondered why she put up with the two.

"No talking in my class, Potter, Weasley," the man in question barked, and both boys glared at their ingredients.

"Hermione was talking, too," Ron muttered under his breath, and Hermione blinked. It was true – usually the man would have reprimanded all three of them, even if only one of them had spoken. A small smile pulled at her lips as she remembered their conversation from the previous day. _Severus,_ she thought, tasting the name in her mind. She still couldn't believe that the professor had given her permission to use his given name, but it was a concession that strangely warmed her, just as the thought that Hames considered her his best friend did. _What about Ron?_ she wondered as she stirred the potion slowly. _Isn't he Harry's best friend?_ Or maybe Hames meant currently: She was sure that Ron had still been his close friend in the future, but now that he was in the past she wondered whether he and Ron would even be friends. Despite Hames and Harry being the same person, she knew that the redhead couldn't understand the time traveler, and didn't even seem to want to get to know him. _Maybe that's what he meant, _she thought.

Just then Professor Snape swooped in to inspect their cauldron. "Acceptable," he grudgingly appraised the potion. "Potter, you didn't crush the poppy finely enough. Weasley, your cuts are not even. Fix it." With a last unreadable look at Hermione he turned away to inspect another cauldron.

OoOoO

"Granger, stay behind." At the professor's words Hermione looked up from her bag, slipping the last item into it.

"Yes, sir," she responded, gesturing for her friends to leave without her. "What is it, sir?" Hermione asked once the door had closed behind Ron, slinging her bag over her shoulder and walking to the front of the classroom.

"I merely wished to inform you of last night's missions," the man sank into the chair behind his desk, appearing more tired than before. Hermione was surprised that he would relax even that much in her presence. "I assume that Dobby's message wasn't enough information for you," he smirked and her lips twitched in response.

"I wouldn't mind getting a bit more information," Hermione agreed, "but I was glad to hear that everyone was safe and sound."

Professor Snape inclined his head, his expression relaxing somewhat. "The missions all ran smoothly, and the entire Inner Circle has been dealt with." He hesitated, then added lowly, "You may wish to inform Longbottom that the Lestranges will never again cast the Cruciatus curse." Hermione nodded gravely; Neville had never mentioned it, but she had known about his parents even before coming to Hogwarts. She HAD read 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' and other such books, after all, and remembered mentioning so to Harry when she had first met him on the train.

"I hope I'm not being impertinent," she said softly, "but I would ask – who dealt with them?"

The man looked at her earnestly for a minute before saying, "Longbottom may not be reassured to hear it, but Harry and I dealt with them. I give you my word that they no longer walk this world, although they did not die as painfully as their victims may have wished."

Hermione understood the meaning behind his words and nodded minutely. "I'll make sure he knows," she promised.

"Out of curiosity," the man smirked, "How long did you stay up watching the Map before Potter and Weasley gave up?"

Hermione blushed slightly. "Actually, this time we were smart and took turns," she confessed, "So I was awake when Dobby came to tell me that the missions were over."

"I see," the man drawled. "Was there anything of note last night?"

Hermione shook her head. "No; it was supremely boring. I hope your night was less mind-numbing than ours."

"Oh, that it was," Professor Snape replied drolly. "Although I have to admit that interrogating my fellow Death Eaters when I already knew the answers to almost all the questions was rather... uninspiring."

"I'm sure," Hermione said, her facial expression something between a grimace and a smile. "You have my deepest respect for continuing to spy for the Light despite the horrible characters you were surrounded by."

Professor Snape raised an eyebrow and drawled, "Do you mean the Death Eaters or the Order?" Hermione choked, then burst out laughing.

"Good point," she laughed. "Though I would hope that the Death Eaters were more unpleasant than Mundungus or Moody."

"I suppose," Professor Snape sighed, and Hermione laughed again. "I am afraid that if you do not leave now you will be late for your next lesson, Hermione," the man said, and she beamed at the use of her first name.

"Oops," she said frivolously, and the man actually chuckled. "I'll see you later, then, Severus," she said the name smoothly, having practiced in front of the mirror. "Is there any chance that we could be included in the Order meetings now that Snake Face is almost dealt with?" She had adopted the term Hames called Voldemort – it was so fitting, somehow.

Severus hesitated. "I am unsure, but I cannot dismiss the possibility. I will bring up the issue for discussion at tonight's meeting."

Knowing that was as good as she would get, Hermione smiled and took a step back. "Thank you, Severus." The man merely inclined his head in acknowledgement and Hermione left for her next class in a rather good mood.


	40. Chapter 40

CHAPTER FORTY:

_My life feels like one never-ending Order meeting, _Harry grumbled inwardly as they flooed to Grimmauld Place for the fourth time in as many days. _And this time Dumbledore's along again. Joy._

Now that the Inner Circle was dealt with they would be discussing a strategy for the final confrontation, including a back-up plan should the confrontation not work out as they hoped it would. Despite knowing that a Gryffindor charge would give them all the most confidence, Harry knew that they needed to be Slytherin and have guarantees that they wouldn't end up losing the war in one fell swoop. Perhaps they would broach the topics of Hogwarts and Ministry, but Harry would rather leave those for afterwards, hopefully including all the Hogwarts teachers and at least Amelia Bones in the discussion.

When Harry stepped into Headquarters the first thing he noticed was that although he was still bound to a chair, today seemed to be one of Dumbledore's good days. Forcing himself to stay relaxed, Harry cheerfully called the meeting to order and briefly greeted Dumbledore. _All I need is him interfering._

OoOoO

Meanwhile, Hermione approached a boy sitting alone in the Gryffindor common room. He was the only fifth year who still had some baby fat on his face, but while it made him look like a bit of a weakling, it also showed his friendly character.

"Hey Neville," she greeted him with a smile. "Can we talk for a moment? I have some news that you might want to hear."

"Sure," the boy agreed amicably, if curiously. Rising from his chair, he left his homework where it was and followed her out of the common room. Once they had ducked into an abandoned classroom Hermione spoke again.

"I don't think there's any good way to say this, so I'll just come right out and say it, okay?" Neville looked unsure but nodded, and Hermione took a deep breath.

"The Lestranges are dead."

Neville had stiffened as soon as she said that particular name, but then the meaning of her sentence sunk in and he stared at her with wide eyes. "How do you know?" he demanded, and she smiled crookedly.

"Have you heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

The boy nodded. "Gran mentioned it a few times, saying that Dad was a member and was targeted because of it. What about it?" he asked warily.

Hermione's heart went out to him, but she tried not to let it show. "Well, for the past two nights they've been targeting Snake Face's Inner Circle, and last night the Lestranges were one of the targets. Professor Snape informed me after class today that I might want to be the one to inform you; he felt that it would be better coming from me than from him."

Neville looked wary at taking Professor Snape's word for it, and asked her, "Are you sure that he's speaking the truth?"

Hermione immediately nodded. "He's not the only Order member I've heard from today," she assured him, neglecting to mention that the only other message she had received had been from a house elf, and just a simple message saying that the missions were over for the night.

Neville looked rather lost, and Hermione desperately wanted to give him a hug, but felt that it might not be welcome at the moment. "I promise that they're gone," she said softly. "Professor Snape said that they perhaps did not suffer as they deserved, but that they will never again cast the Cruciatus curse-"

"How do you know about that?" Neville asked wildly, taking a step back. Hermione blinked.

"I read 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' before starting at Hogwarts," she replied, and snorted when he just stared at her. "Honestly, am I the only one who reads about recent history at all? Your parents are mentioned as the heroes they are, Neville," Hermione said rather exasperatedly. "I felt you'd want to know. I assume that someone from the Order will contact your gran to let her know, but you might still want to write her a letter." Seeing that he had nothing to say to that, she nodded once. "That's all I had to say."

"Wait!" Neville's cry had her pausing in the doorway, turning to look back at the boy who suddenly looked younger than ever. "Thank you."

Not knowing what to say to that, Hermione simply smiled at him before walking out and back to the common room.

OoOoO

"No." Harry looked at Dumbledore incredulously. "You are speaking of the man who terrorized this country for years, killed countless people and wants to become a supreme overlord who rules with fear. There is NO way we are going to simply stun him."

"But my boy-"

"I am not your boy," Harry hissed, rising to his feet to look down on the old man. "And if you think that I'm going to give that monster a chance to survive the upcoming encounter, then you are more delusional than I thought. How many 'second chances' have you already given Tom Riddle? The boy you once knew no longer exists; he has long lost all his humanity! His name is Lord Voldemort; Tom Riddle is long dead!"

Dumbledore merely sighed in the face of Harry's anger. "Harry, if you can't let go of your anger you are already well on your way to the Dark side."

"My anger?" Harry whispered so quietly that the other Order members had to lean in to hear. "My anger at the killer of my parents? The man who is the reason that the entire country cowers in fear at the mere mention of his name? The monster who unleashed a war in order to rule a broken country? Do you honestly believe that anyone in this room," Harry swept his arm in a big arc, "is willing to let go of their anger for Voldemort? Did you not create this very Order in order to stand against Dark Lords? For you to now speak of sparing the very Dark Lord you yourself fought against for so many years, I honestly wonder whether the curse is affecting your brain. Either that, or it is senility speaking."

Silence fell over the room, but it wasn't long before Dumbledore sighed once more, looking disappointed.

"I see that you refuse to listen to reason," the old man shook his head slowly. "Very well, do what you will, but know that I think you wrong."

"Then I suggest you leave and let us fight this war as it should be fought," Harry said coldly, his eyes locked on the stooped figure. "Clearly you are no longer a fit leader for this Order."

"And you believe yourself a fitting leader for an order named after the Lightest of magical creatures?" Dumbledore asked in the same tone he would use if speaking of the weather.

"Yes," Harry answered without any doubts. "As a phoenix rises from the ashes, so will I work to restore Britain to a healthy state. May this Order be my witness."

"So mote it be," a half dozen voices chorused, only the younger members unaware of the significance of his statement.

"I see," Dumbledore said, appearing to sink inwards onto himself. "Poppy, if you would return me to Hogwarts? It appears that my presence is no longer wanted here." To the old man's dismay, not a single member spoke out asking him to stay, but he was sure that before long they would be clamoring for him to return, realizing that he was the only one who knew how to deal with Tom and the Ministry.

"Perhaps now we can get some decent planning done," Harry massaged his temples as Dumbledore vanished in green flames. "Is anyone else here of the opinion that we should spare Snake Face?"

A look around the room showed that no one was of the same opinion as Dumbledore, though Tonks did raise her hand hesitantly.

"Yes, Nymph?"

She twitched at the name but let it slide. "Shouldn't we make sure to leave some proof of his death, though? The Ministry and the common people especially will want to know for sure that he was back and that he's not going to come back..."

"Very true," Harry nodded. "I am hoping to put his body in stasis once a spell has killed him, just to ensure that it doesn't dissolve into ashes or anything. However, I don't want the Ministry to get their hands on the body – or, to be precise, the Department of Mysteries. Forensics should absolutely have a look at him, if only to check that it really is Snake Face and that he truly is dead and will stay that way. Once photos have been taken and such, however, his body should be cremated and the ashes vanished, to ensure that nobody can resurrect him or get their hands on his blood." Several of the members shuddered.

"That would be bad," Tonks agreed, her hair suddenly white. Harry merely nodded and sat down in his chair, vanishing Dumbledore's seat.

"Now then, let's return to planning the confrontation... I'm going to pair you up in groups of two this time, and pairs should look out for their partners. Obviously, Severus and I will be the first ones there and as such will be the first pair." Harry ignored the various looks he got from the people who now knew that the two of them were partners outside of battle as well and continued on evenly. "Fred, George – I'm not sure whether to pair you up or split you up. Tell me, does one of you have a preference for defense, or are you both offensive types?" At their looks he nodded. "Both offensive, right? Well, they do say 'the best defense is a good offense'... We'll meet up at least once in the next day or so to work together a bit – you may be of age, but if I don't think you're ready for the fight then I'm not letting you tag along, understood?" He fixed them with an intent look until they gave in and nodded; Mrs. Weasley looked a bit less ruffled at the possibility that her sons might not be allowed to fight.

"Sirius, you'll be with Remus again. In this case there shouldn't be any need for anyone to follow orders, but as you're the offensive and Remus the more level-headed one, you will listen to his orders should he give any, understood?" The man set his jaw and attempted to stare Harry down, but eventually gave in and nodded tightly, thankfully keeping his thoughts to himself.

"Bill, you'll work with Alastor; Nymph and Kingsley, you're another pair. Minerva, I hope to have Filius join us for the battle, so you'll team up with him. Note that you don't have to work together, just make sure that you always know where your partner is and whether he or she needs help," he clarified.

"Why didn't we bring in Professor Flitwick for the missions?" one of the Weasley twins asked curiously. "I'm sure he would have kicked ass!" the other twin chimed in, ignoring their mothers' reproaching comment.

"Because Filius, as a quarter-goblin, follows the goblin code of honor," Harry replied. "The goblins are known for being back-stabbing bastards, but that's only when it comes to money – when it comes to fighting, they have very strong ethics. His honor would not have allowed him to infiltrate a man's house and capture him while he was sleeping, but a one-on-one duel or pitched battle? Absolutely."

The twins looked like they were going to ambush the professor the next day and shower him in questions, making Harry smile. "Just let Minerva have a word with him before you go asking him all sorts of questions, would you?" They assumed innocent expressions that nobody believed, but Harry just smirked before moving on.

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, you'll be joining the fight?" At their nods he said, "You'll pair up, then. Is Charlie going to come? Percy?" At their bereaved expressions he smacked his forehead in a calculated gesture. "Oh, right – he hadn't made up with you yet at this point. It's still... what, a month to go?" he assumed a pensive expression. "Maybe a bit more than that, but that sounds about right." The hope on their faces was almost painful, but Harry gave them a warm smile nonetheless – he knew that Percy was under spells from Dumbledore, who had wanted another lackey in the Ministry, though that hadn't worked out as well for him as he had perhaps hoped. Once Dumbledore was dead, however, Percy was sure to return to his family as he had in the previous timeline.

"Right, I'll count Percy out for this one, then. Charlie? No? Perhaps that's for the best – I think after so long casting stunners at dragons, those stunners may be too strong for a human to survive!" The terrible joke got a weak laugh from the boy's tearful mother, and Harry continued on. "Poppy is still at Hogwarts right now, but on the day she will hopefully be here, since we can't make portkeys to take the injured to Hogwarts. I'll make portkeys for each of us tomorrow. Mr. Doge, I hope that by the time we go in you'll be in top form once more, and I would pair you up with Miss Vance. Hagrid, I have Harry and his friends keeping an eye on Hogwarts, but I would feel safer if you were there to warn the Order should anything happen. Is that alright?"

"O' course, Harry," the half-giant replied amicably, and Harry gave him a warm smile.

"Thanks. I know that with you there no harm will come to the students." Hagrid swelled with pride, as Harry had hoped he would; he did trust Hagrid with the students' lives, and he wanted his biggest friend to know it.

"Speaking of Potter and his friends, I spoke with Miss Granger today and promised that I would raise the topic of their inclusion in the Order." Severus kept his eyes on Harry, knowing that it would be the way Harry phrased his answer that was important.

Harry nodded, "Yes, I was thinking that once Snake Face is dealt with they could at least sit in on a meeting or two – after all, the next step will be to determine the work we'll do with Hogwarts and the Ministry, and there are several people from outside the Order that I think should be included in those meetings, particularly Amelia Bones and Augusta Longbottom, perhaps even their charges Neville and Susan. If we're going to decide how this country should be run we'll want to have as many different opinions as possible, especially including the different age groups. What Augusta wants from the Ministry is most likely something completely different from what, say, Hermione might want. We will discuss this after Snake Face has been dealt with, however," Harry added, seeing that most of the members had already been convinced but knowing that it was a topic for another time. Severus nodded and leaned back once more.

"Now then," Harry said, addressing the room as a whole again. "Pairs have been made, but we don't know the exact location or people involved. I assume that it will be the same throne room we have been summoned to before, which means that we will have sufficient room to move around, but I don't know how many other people will be there; this depends on whether or not Snake Face discovers his dead followers before the meeting. Should he be ignorant of the missing Death Eaters, then it will most likely be a summons for the Inner Circle – which is now only the two of us," Harry gestured at Severus with a smirk. "Should that be the case, you'll all show up only once we've already dealt with the opposition, or, should we not have killed Voldemort by then, you'll be bounced off anti-apparition wards and Bill will get to work on getting you inside." Bill nodded, understanding that he was the only ward specialist present. His official title may be 'curse breaker', but that included wards, and he was very good at breaking those.

"Once you have all apparated, you need to be prepared for any situation, so please find a few hours to work with your partner before the confrontation. Should Snake Face remain ignorant of his missing followers, we should be summoned on Friday evening again; should he notice we could be summoned at any hour of any day, so keep your charms against your skin at all times! Also, should things go against us, get out of there. 'He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day', isn't that the saying? If it looks like we're losing, leave – but only after doing everything possible to take out Voldemort and his snake, Nagini. Should either of them survive we'll be in trouble. Should I fall, leadership of the Order will fall to Severus as the one who knows Voldemort best, with Kingsley as his second-in-command. Should both of them fall as well, then Alastor is in charge, since you'll definitely need his experience." Seeing that they all understood and were determined to do everything they could, he smiled. "Now would also be the ideal time for some tracking charms to be placed on me, and perhaps one on Severus if he doesn't mind."

He and Severus both stood smoothly, and the three men Harry had specified previously – Alastor, Kingsley and Remus – swiftly hit him with tracking charms. Nymph and Bill exchanged a look, shrugged, and hit Severus with a tracking spell each, deciding that as former members of his team they were the most entitled to such an action. The inclination of the head he gave them reassured them that they had not erred.

"You all remember the course of action we decided on; should we be summoned we'll immediately send off Patroni to let these gentlemen know," Harry gestured at Moody and Remus, "who will then call together the Order. We will also use our charms, so if you're paying attention to those and feel the signal, make your excuses and gather here immediately. Kingsley will lead you in once Alastor says five minutes have elapsed since our Patronus notified him. Kingsley, don't let anyone in the Auror department know anything in advance, not even Amelia; I don't know exactly who the bug is, but there's someone there who's allied with Snake Face. Once the fight is over you'll go to the Ministry and persuade Amelia to follow you to Voldemort's hideout; by then we'll have all gotten out and gathered back here."

Harry cast an eye over the gathered members, then nodded once. "Any questions?"

This time nothing followed his question, and everyone carefully avoided looking at Sirius. "That's it for now, then," Harry clapped his hands together. "Please get together in your pairs and talk for a while; enjoy a cup of tea. We've worked hard these past two nights, and tonight we'll get a proper night's sleep!" A round of chuckles went up at his fervent tone; they didn't know that Severus had dragged him out of bed for lunch, informing him that he would be unable to sleep that night if he spent the entire day in bed. Just because the man was right didn't mean that Harry had to like it.

As the other members teamed up – or went back to Hogwarts in Minerva and the twins' case – Harry rose and sat down sideways on Severus's lap with his back to the room. "I'm tired again," he announced as he pillowed his head against Severus's shoulder, feeling the man's arms come up around him.

"This is entirely inappropriate," Severus said lowly, and Harry smiled.

"Maybe it is, but I don't care. You're mine, I'm yours – let them say what they want."


	41. Chapter 41

CHAPTER FORTY ONE:

"We need to discuss your Dark Mark."

Severus turned slowly, his shirt in his hand. "What is there to discuss?" he asked evenly, and Harry shrugged.

"Not much, actually. I just wanted to let you know that Poppy and Hermione took some time in the future to analyze the tattoo, and didn't think that a bearer of the mark would suffer any adverse effects should Snake Face die. If they were right, then all that should happen at Voldemort's death is that the tattoo should begin fading, much as it did before, and eventually disappear completely." Harry shrugged again. "And that's all I had to say on the topic. Let's go to bed."

Severus shook his head at the sight of Harry launching himself onto the bed, but couldn't deny the sense of relief he felt at Harry's words. He had feared that the Dark Lord's death would kill him as well, but if Poppy and Gra- Hermione thought that it wouldn't, then he was inclined to believe them.

OoOoO

Harry was riding a bicycle through his old school, younger versions of Ron and Hermione just behind him. Together they rode through the deserted halls, vaulting down the stairs and laughing in delight.

"This way!" Harry called out to his friends, turning a corner and heading for his old classroom. "I want to show you my classroom!"

They reached the room and climbed off their bicycles, running to the door and pushing it open with matching grins – only to stop at the sight before them.

A woman with curly hair was tied to one of the chairs, unconscious and bleeding from many wounds; both her hands were cut off and lying off to the side. In front of her stood a dark-haired man who turned slowly to face them. His face was covered in blood, a malevolent smile curving his lips and his green eyes flashing in dark satisfaction.

"She deserved it," the man purred.

And Harry woke screaming.

"It was just a nightmare, Harry," a soft voice told him softly, warm arms holding him close. "Just a nightmare. You're safe at Hogwarts, safe with me," the man continued softly, as if speaking to an injured animal. And Harry clutched at the other man.

"Don't let me become that," he gasped, tears prickling at his eyes. "Never that," Harry shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut, seeing the image of his darker self behind his lids.

"I won't," Severus reassured him, seeming to know what it was Harry needed. "I promise."

With a shaky breath Harry turned and buried his face between the pillow and Severus's neck. "Never," he whispered and fell back into a restless sleep, images of himself haunting his dreams.

OoOoO

The next few nights passed similarly: During the day Harry occupied himself making emergency portkeys, training with the Weasley twins, thinking endlessly about the future of the wizarding world; during the night he woke crying or screaming from nightmares of his past, dark visions of what he himself had and could become, events of what should come to pass should he fail again. Severus gave him Dreamless Sleep as often as he dared: The potion was highly addictive, and even taking it every night could make Harry fully dependent on it. Harry was never more thankful for Severus's presence than when he woke shaking only to be comforted and held until he fell asleep once more; without Severus there Harry would have been as good as a zombie by the second day.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked him quietly when she once passed him in the hall coming from the Room of Requirement.

"No," he confessed with a wry smile. "But I will be." _Someday._

The girl simply laid a warm hand on his arm, silently offering her support, and his wry smile turned to a true one. _What would I be without you?_ he wondered as they parted ways, thankful that even this younger version of his Hermione had accepted him fully and without reservation. Remus, Severus, Hermione – knowing that he had the full support of three of the people most important to him gave him the strength to go on even past Voldemort's defeat. With their support he had the strength to work tirelessly towards a better future for Britain. _Without them..._ Harry chose not to think about it.

"How was today's session?" Severus's smooth voice pulled Harry out of his thoughts and he grinned up at his partner. There were few students in the halls, but two girls noticed the stranger's grin and started whispering about the man getting along with the surly professor.

"Good! They're a lot of fun to play with," Harry laughed. "You should join us sometime – I think you'd enjoy it."

Severus hummed, the sound neither agreement nor disagreement. "Are they good enough?"

"For Friday?" Snake Face still hadn't summoned them, and as it was already Thursday evening Harry suspected that Voldemort hadn't noticed the loss of his followers. "They're as ready as I can get them in so little time." Lowering his voice to avoid being overheard he continued, "In the future they often paired up with Angelina and Alicia – from the Quidditch team – and worked as a quartet. Fred and George still fight well together as just the two of them, but they're not good enough yet for their purely offensive strategy to be properly effective. I'm a bit afraid that someone will get a lucky shot in and we'll lose one of them..." _George, _Harry thought with the dulled pain of long exposure. Fred had never been the same after his death, and had only managed for a few weeks before deliberately going on a suicide mission. "I'm tempted to keep them away from the fight just for that reason, but we might need them there..."

Severus nodded, understanding Harry's dilemma. "You said that they work well in a quartet – what if you pair them up with one of the other teams? They may work well with William and Moody, and I am sure that William would unconsciously keep an eye on his younger brothers anyway."

They walked on in silence for a bit while Harry considered Severus's idea. "That might work," he admitted then. "You have their class tomorrow, don't you? Could you let them know about the change then?"

Severus inclined his head, ignoring the passing student's shock at seeing his companion smile at the Potions Master. Harry, however, took note of the boy's reaction and laughed. "Why Severus, one would think that the students have never seen anyone smile at you before!" Severus snorted in reply.

"Indeed. Most curious." Harry laughed again and they walked on, ignoring the student who had stopped to stare at their backs in disbelief. Professor Snape hadn't just made a joke – had he?


	42. Chapter 42

CHAPTER FORTY TWO:

"...Well, that was anticlimactic."

"Indeed."

"...The others should be here soon."

Severus remained quiet, merely inclining his head in agreement. Harry sighed and sat down off to the side, leaning against the wall in a spot where he could keep the entire room in sight, particularly the door and the two dead bodies lying at the front of the room.

"Not that I'm not glad that it was this easy, but... it just seems _too _easy, you know?"

"I do agree," Severus replied, unable to take his eyes off his dead master. "I did not even feel any pain at his passing."

Harry straightened worriedly. "Is there a way to check whether it's really him?"

"It is," came the prompt answer. "I would know the feel of his magic anywhere, and you cannot fake the Summons. No, this is the Dark Lord."

"What about Quirrell?" Harry frowned. "You didn't know he was being possessed by Snake Face, no?"

Severus finally turned away from the body that was still warm under the stasis charm. "That is because it was not true possession – Quirrell was still fully in control, and as such was using his own magic."

Harry shrugged in understanding.

"...Has it still not been five minutes since we appeared here?"

Harry checked his watch and replied, "One more minute – we were done faster than I had expected." Two cutting curses and both Voldemort and Nagini had crumpled to the floor, their heads landing a foot away; stasis charms on everything to keep it from decomposing and they were done. Voldemort hadn't even had time to realize that his two first followers to appear would be the only ones.

Suddenly a series of cracks rent the air and Harry heaved himself to his feet. "Stand down!" he said evenly, and the Order members lowered their wands slightly.

"Blimey," Tonks breathed. "Is that..?"

"Yes," Harry said, confidently walking to the front of the hall. "As you can all see, Snake Face and Nagini have been dealt with, and no other Death Eaters were summoned for this meeting, so there are at present no people to fight. Alastor, can you see any other people in this building?"

Moody's eye was spinning madly, but his good eye switched only between Harry and Voldemort's headless body. "My eye doesn't see that far, but there is no one directly outside this room. You want us to check the rest of the building?"

Harry nodded. "Absolutely. Everyone, stay in your teams and go scout out the building; Severus and I will hold this position on the off chance that Snake Face did summon more people and they're just taking a while to get here. Dobby? If there are any house elves in this building please ask them to come talk to me." The humans and elf scattered, leaving Harry and Severus alone with the corpses once more. Harry absently cast a Protego around their defeated opponents, "In case anyone comes and tries anything," he explained at Severus's odd look.

Just then Dobby reappeared. "Master Harry, there is being no house elves here!"

"That's great, Dobby, thanks. Are there any wizards or witches in the building?" He was wondering if he had just sent his people out for no good reason when Dobby replied in the affirmative. "Okay then. That's all for now, thanks!"

"Master Harry is welcome!" Dobby said before popping away, and Harry couldn't help but smile as he always did when talking to Dobby.

"Guess we just wait here, then," Harry said to Severus, going to sit against the wall again. "Hey, Severus? Do you think we should tell Amelia that we killed Snake Face, or should we just say that the Order of the Phoenix did it?"

Severus walked over and leaned against the wall beside him. "You killed the Dark Lord, not I – but even so I am unsure. Are you planning on letting the wizarding world know of your presence in this time frame, or were you hoping to stay hidden?"

"I was thinking of becoming Minister of Magic, actually," Harry replied evenly, and Severus's eyebrows rose.

"A thankless job."

"Yeah, but someone needs to do it, and who else will? Amelia would be great, but I know how much she loves being Head of the Aurors; I wouldn't take that from her. I don't want to keep the post for long; just long enough to get Britain running properly again. I'm hoping it won't take more than five years."

Severus stifled a groan as he saw his wish for a very extended world trip going down the drain. "Then it would be advantageous to make it clear from the start that you defeated the Dark Lord, are the leader of the Order, and are the head of both the Potter and Black families," he said evenly, and Harry nodded.

"I thought it might be... Oh, but I really don't want to be Minister!" he whined, and Severus saw an opening.

"Then do not," he said, hiding carefully how little he wanted Harry to assume that post. "Have Madam Bones run for the post while giving her your full support, let Kingsley be promoted to Head of the Aurors, and work through them. You will have a great deal of power from your Wizengamot seats alone, especially since the Light and Neutral families will be behind you and many of the powerful Dark families have been... dealt with," he said with a delicacy that implied his participation in the past missions. "There is no concrete need for you to run for Minister, unless you want to give the sheep another reason to cling to you." His arguments seemed to be close to convincing the younger man to give up his idea, and Severus decided to deliver the killing blow. Crouching down, he leaned in close and whispered in Harry's ear, "Besides, were you to assume the post of Minister I would be forced to travel the world alone..." He smirked at the man's exclamation.

"You would go without me?" Harry pouted, and Severus pulled back to see his face.

"No," he confessed, his smirk changing to a smile. "But there is no guarantee that you would only be Minister for five years, and it is a thankless job with little chances for even short vacations, let alone the immersion into various cultures that we wish to experience. Also, it is hardly as though we need the funds – did you know that we can present ourselves at Gringotts and claim the vaults of the Death Eaters by right of conquest?" A dark smile spread across his face at Harry's surprised look. "The Lestrange vaults would fall to you anyway, but I can also claim the vaults of the Carrows and Avery, to be split with the other members of my teams. Lupin, being a werewolf, can claim neither the Jugson nor the Avery vaults, but I can claim the one and Black the other, dividing the contents fairly afterwards. William will be quite a bit richer after receiving even part of the Carrow and Dolohov vaults," Severus smirked, "and could even argue that a percentage of the Lestrange vaults should go to him as well, as he was the one to get us past the wards."

Harry just looked stunned, and a thought came to Severus then. "In fact... There is the possibility that you could claim the vaults and possessions of _all _Death Eaters by right of conquest, as you defeated their marked master..."

"My God," Harry breathed, a grin slowly appearing on his face. "Bankrupt all of Snake Face's supporters, and by playing by their own rules? Severus, you're brilliant!" Giving the man before him a hard kiss, Harry stood and strode to the middle of the room. "Dobby! Fetch Kingsley for me, please." It took but a few seconds, then Kingsley appeared before him. "Thanks, Dobby. Kingsley, I think you should go get Amelia now," Harry said, unable to keep the grin from his face. "I have to discuss some things with her, and the sooner, the better. It's already past ten, after all."

"I'll bring her right away," Kingsley bowed, to Harry's surprise, before apparating away.

"Is everyone going to start bowing to me now?" he asked Severus petulantly, and the man nodded.

"Most likely; you are now no longer simply the Boy Who Lived, but also the Vanquisher of Voldemort," the Potions Master sneered as he said the new title, and Harry couldn't help but grin.

"That actually doesn't have a bad ring to it," he said cheerfully. "Vanquisher of Voldemort." Severus's lips twitched as he watched his lover from the wall.

Sooner than they had expected Kingsley reappeared with Amelia by his side, both of their wands drawn. "Peace," Harry took a step forward, raising his empty hands nonthreateningly. "Amelia, it's good to see you again." She gave him a sharp look, and he grinned disarmingly. "Though I don't believe you've met me before." Sweeping a bow, he introduced himself. "My name is Harry James Potter-Black, and I came from the future to deal with a little problem that got out of hand..." As he said the last part he swept out an arm to gesture at the dead bodies.

"Is that-?" Amelia gaped, and Kingsley answered, "It is. The leader of the Order of the Phoenix believes however that a forensics team should be brought in to check that it truly is Voldemort."

"Dumbledore?" Amelia asked, pursing her lips. She was not fond of the old man, and it rankled to know that Shacklebolt answered to him.

"No," Kingsley replied, to her surprise. "The man you see before you is our leader."

It took rather unusual circumstances to put Amelia Bones off-balance, but Harry could see that the woman was just that.

"Perhaps we should discuss it at length another time," he offered amicably. "I think right now it's more important to have confirmation that this _is_ Voldemort, and that he _is_ dead this time. I am reasonably sure that both things are true, but official confirmation is always a good thing to have."

At that Amelia seemed to rally herself, and she immediately turned to the reassuring familiarity of the standard procedure for a crime scene. Turning to her subordinate, she ordered, "Shacklebolt, organize a team of Aurors to secure the building and a forensics team, then bring them here directly." The man nodded and Amelia turned back to the strange man, but he spoke before she could.

"Would you prefer if I got the Order out of the building, then? They've been subduing the people present, but we can leave it to the Aurors if you prefer."

Amelia blinked, then straightened. "This is a task for the Aurors. Please call off your vigilante subordinates."

The man simply nodded, then crouched and called for a house elf. Amelia blinked at the friendly tone the man used when addressing his servant, and soon the house elf popped away to tell the Order members to return to their homes with a message thanking them for their assistance. Then the man straightened again, and cocked his head slightly, looking at her.

"Severus, would you rather stay or go?" Amelia started in surprise when a low voice answered the man's question, head jerking to look at the man who she hadn't even noticed standing against the wall.

"I would stay," Severus Snape replied smoothly, his gaze fixed on her just as his companion's was. "I have worked behind the scenes for this day for too long to simply trust that no one will attempt anything with the Dark Lord's body."

"I thought you might say that." Amelia stared as the supposed time traveler turned to smile at the Death Eater.

"Did you not attend my trial at the end of the last war, Madam Bones?" came the silken voice of Hogwarts' Potions professor. "I was released on Dumbledore's word that I was a spy for the Light; a testimony that he gave no other Death Eater beside myself." The man didn't smile, merely look at her with a disconcertingly level gaze, and she had to keep from fidgeting despite being older than he. "Many doubted the veracity of such a statement, but I am more than prepared to confirm under Veritaserum that I have, for the past sixteen years, been a spy in the Dark Lord's ranks."

"Sixteen years?" Amelia asked sharply. "If I am not mistaken, you joined You-Know-Who over seventeen years ago."

Severus inclined his head. "That is true. However, the Dark Lord was a skilled recruiter – he lured me in with promises of a Potions Mastery, and it was not until shortly before Potter's birth that I learned of the true nature of the group I had joined. At that point I turned to Dumbledore and became a spy for the Order of the Phoenix."

"I see," Amelia said, but her gaze was still sharp. "I will be happy to accept your offer to say as much under Veritaserum at the next possible opportunity." To her surprise, the man simply nodded, seeming unconcerned at the subtle threat. _Could it be that he's telling the truth?_

"I will be happy to testify under Veritaserum as well," a younger voice said then, and she turned back to the speaker, "but I think right now is not a good time. Your teams should arrive at any moment," the young man smiled disarmingly, and she reluctantly nodded. She wanted answers, and she'd prefer having them right away, but it was more important to verify whether the headless corpse truly belonged to You-Know-Who.

As if the strange young man had known of their imminent arrival, just then a number of people apparated into the hall, and Amelia immediately set then about their tasks. She felt that she would be busy for the next few days, especially so if that body really was that of You-Know-Who...

A/N: That WAS anticlimactic, wasn't it! Don't worry, rumor will blow it all out of proportion anyway… ;)


	43. Chapter 43

CHAPTER FORTY THREE:

"Wonderful," Harry said with hidden relief as the forensics team reported that the body was definitely that of Voldemort, and that he was also definitely dead. Conjuring a large wooden box, Harry deposited the bodies of Voldemort and his snake within and cast several protective charms on it, ignoring the outcries of the forensics team. "Amelia, is there a safe place this could be left overnight? I don't want to just leave it lying around where anyone can get at it, destroying the evidence now would be a bad move, and I'm sure you don't trust me enough to let me take it with me, despite being the one who killed him in the first place. Also, I absolutely don't want the Department of Mysteries getting their hands on this," he said with a look that told her just how serious he was about that.

The woman gave him a measuring look before dismissing the forensics team. "Where were you thinking of keeping it?" she asked, and he shrugged.

"I was going to put it in the Chamber of Secrets – since only Harry and I can get in there, it seems the safest place."

Amelia blinked. "Ah, there are two Harry Potter's now?"

"Yep," Harry grinned. "Though as I said, I'm a Black now as well, since my godfather named me as his heir in his will."

The look Amelia gave him revealed just how much she wanted to ask for details, but she stayed on topic. "That seems a good place to keep it, but I will have to question you under Veritaserum before I let you take it."

Harry sighed and looked over at Severus. "And here I had hoped that it wouldn't be another late night."

"A foolish hope to have entertained," Severus replied blandly, and Harry laughed.

"I guess so. Alright, Amelia, let's go have a talk somewhere. It's probably best if we get you up to date and discuss some things before moving on to the Veritaserum – unless you'd prefer to get the Veritaserum out of the way first? Whichever way, it's probably best if we went somewhere else. Your place or mine?" he winked, and saw that she had to smother a smile at that.

"Mine," she replied drily. "I will have to side-along apparate you."

"Understood," Harry said, shrinking the wooden box and tucking it in his pocket before placing his hand on her shoulder, a gesture that Severus repeated on her other side. She hid it well, but Harry could tell that she was uncomfortable with their proximity and quickly apparated them away.

"Ugh, I still hate side-along apparition," Harry groaned as he stumbled away from Amelia.

"Potters," Severus smirked.

"Shut up, you," Harry replied good-naturedly as he regained his bearings. "Did Dad also have problems with side-along apparition?"

"Black had the misfortune of being barfed on at the apparition test," came the smug answer, and Harry laughed despite himself.

"At least I'm not that bad!"

"This way, gentlemen," Amelia interrupted them, and the two men exchanged grins as they followed her into one of the sitting rooms of Bones Manor.

"So, Veritaserum first or explanations?" Harry asked as he threw himself into an armchair. Severus sank into another armchair far more gracefully than he.

"Veritaserum," Amelia answered promptly. "I would prefer to be sure that I can trust your explanations."

"I have a vial on me," Severus offered, "but no counter-potion."

"That's not a problem; I have both Veritaserum and the counter on hand," the Head of the DMLE replied, pulling two vials out of a pocket. Severus merely nodded and leaned back.

"Who first, then?" Harry asked cheerfully, and Amelia gave him a measuring look.

"Let's have you go first, shall we?"

"Sure," he replied, and opened his mouth for the three drops of potion. He trusted Amelia, but more than that, he trusted Severus to keep him safe while under the effects of the Veritaserum.

"Very well," Amelia sat down and charmed a quill to record the questions, but was interrupted by the other man.

"I would ask that you not keep a record of this; we are not criminals being questioned. That we offered to speak under Veritaserum is a gesture of goodwill, not of subordination." The Potions Master's dark gaze was perfectly level, and she had to wonder whether he truly was a spy – for in that moment he certainly seemed like a Death Eater to her.

"Very well," she conceded eventually, and put away the quill and parchment. "May I begin?"

The man simply inclined his head, and she hid her irritation. "What is your full name?" she asked the other man, who looked to be under the effects of the potion.

"Harry James Potter-Black," he replied in an even tone – not quite as toneless as most wizards, but Amelia had interviewed enough to notice the faint undertone that showed that the potion was working.

"Age?"

"Twenty one." Younger than she had thought; he seemed several years older...

"Posts?"

The Potions Master interrupted her before Potter-Black could answer the question. "Current or past?" he asked, and her eyebrows rose.

"Past posts?" she asked, curious, and tried not to gape at the answer she received.

"Leader of the Defense Association, Leader of the Order of the Phoenix, Hogwarts Headmaster," came the even answer. The first two she could perhaps understand, but Hogwarts Headmaster at such a young age? She would have called him a liar were he not under the effects of the truth potion.

"What is the Defense Association?" She had never heard of it before.

"The DA is a group of students that I taught Defense Against the Dark Arts in my fifth year."

"Ah, a club," she nodded; for a moment she had feared that there was yet another vigilante group in Britain. "Current posts?" Best to make sure, after all.

"Leader of the Order of the Phoenix."

"Are you a time traveler?"

"Yes."

"Why did you travel back in time?"

"A spell from Voldemort sent me back," came the surprising answer.

"You did not intend to travel through time?"

"No."

"What spell was this?"

"I don't know its' name."

"Its' effect?"

"To slowly liquefy one's brain." Amelia grimaced despite herself.

"You were hit by that spell and thrown back in time?" It sounded too fantastic to be true.

"Yes."

"On what day did you reappear?"

"Friday the 23rd of February."

"Of this year?"

"Yes."

"What have you been doing since then?"

"Working towards Voldemort's death," came the smooth answer, and Amelia wondered, not for the first time, how much one could influence the answers one gives under Veritaserum.

"In what ways?"

"Taking charge of the Order, destroying his Horcruxes, taking out his Death Eaters, and killing him."

Amelia's eyebrows rose. "Explain what you mean by 'taking out his Death Eaters'."

"Killing or incarcerating."

"Have you killed any of them?"

Once again the Potions Master intervened. "In his past or in this present?"

"Have you killed any Death Eaters since returning to this time," Amelia clarified, wondering how many the man had killed in the future if his companion had to have her clarify the question. And how much Snape knew about Potter-Black's past.

"Yes."

"Which?"

Another interruption: "You will have to clarify whether personally or through his actions as the head of the Order."

"Which Death Eaters have you personally killed since returning to this time?" she couldn't hide the faint note of impatience to her tone.

"Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange." She sucked in a breath. He had killed Lucius Malfoy? That would explain why she hadn't seen him around the Ministry. And Bellatrix Lestrange?

"Where was she?"

"Lestrange Manor."

Amelia grimaced – she had argued for taking a group of Aurors to the houses of the Death Eaters who had broken out of Azkaban, but Fudge hadn't allowed it.

"Which Death Eaters have died in this time as a direct result of your actions as leader to the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Nott, Carrow, Jugson, Dolohov, Avery, Lestrange, Lestrange, and Lestrange."

"Damnit!" Snape swore, and she turned to stare at him. "Harry, we forgot Pettigrew!"

"Peter Pettigrew? He's alive?"

"Yes," Snape and Potter-Black answered together.

"He's a Death Eater?"

"Yes," came the single voice of Potter-Black; apparently Snape had decided that since he was the one under Veritaserum, she would only heed his answer anyway.

"Then Sirius Black is innocent of the crimes he was incarcerated for?"

"Yes."

Amelia covered her face with her hands. "I'm going to kill whoever fucked that up."

"Too late; Lucius is already dead," Snape said drily, and she raised her head with a scowl.

"Where is he?"

"Lucius or Black?" Snape raised an eyebrow, and she nearly growled.

"Sirius, of course!"

"Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix," Potter-Black replied, and she let out a long breath. He was safe.

"Does he need to see a mind healer?" she asked then, somewhat afraid of the answer. Few knew it, but they had been engaged before he went to Azkaban.

Snape sneered, "Yes," at the same time as Potter-Black replied, "Maybe."

"What reassuring answers," she said drily, pulling herself together again. "Back to business. You killed You-Know-Who earlier today?"

"Yes."

"There were no other casualties?"

"His snake, Nagini."

Amelia waved a hand at that. Why would she care about a snake? "Earlier you mentioned whores. Why?"

"Hocruxes," Snape said with no little amount of amusement in his tone. "Soul containers. The Dark Lord created several of them, binding him to this plane, but also rendering him less than human."

Amelia shuddered, forgetting all about her embarrassment and irritation at his mirth. "Merlin. They have all been destroyed?"

"Yes."

"Thank Merlin," she said fervently, and Snape smirked.

"No, thank Harry."

Amelia scowled at him, but did thank the young man in front of her.

"You're welcome," Potter-Black answered, and she narrowed her eyes at him. He shouldn't be able to say that under Veritaserum – right?

"Do you have any other questions for him?" Snape interrupted her thoughts, and she eyed him for a moment.

"One or two more, yes. Harry Potter-Black, what are your plans for the future?"

"To ensure lasting peace in Great Britain by cleaning out the Ministry, and provide a better education for the new generation through an improved Hogwarts."

"In what capacity do you plan on seeing through these changes?" They sounded like admirable goals, but she wasn't sure how she felt about this man as Minister of Magic…

"As an advisor behind the scenes, a Wizengamot member and a friend to people who can bring about positive change."

"Which people, for example?"

"Minerva McGonagall as Hogwarts Headmistress, Augusta Longbottom on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, Kingsley Shacklebolt as Head of the DMLE," _my position?_ "and Amelia Bones as Minister of Magic."

Amelia was momentarily dumbfounded. This time traveler, who was Head of two old Pureblood houses, leader of the Order of the Phoenix and former Hogwarts Headmaster, Boy Who Lived and defeater of You-Know-Who, a man who could easily attain any role he wished in their society, wanted _her_ as Minister of Magic?

"Why should I accept the post of Minister of Magic?" For she had no doubt that if this man were to suggest it to the public, she would be moving into the office the very next day.

"You are exactly what the country needs: A strong, unbiased woman, open to change but knowing the limits, a sympathetic character and yet a leader that this country desperately needs after Fudge's incompetence. A woman who doesn't care about popularity ratings and who doesn't accept bribes, but focuses only on the important goals. If you refused to run for the post I would feel there was no other option than to become Minister of Magic myself."

"Why do you not want to be Minister?"

"I just want a long, long vacation. I have been a leading figure in the war against Voldemort since before I was even born, and once I know Britain to be in good hands and on the way to a peaceful, healthy society, I just want to see the world."

Amelia could feel her face soften at the young man's words, knowing the truth of them. Harry Potter had always been in the center of everything, and she for one would not begrudge him the vacation he longed for. _I suppose I'll have to seriously consider being Minister of Magic,_ she thought wryly.

"Thank you very much, Lord Potter-Black," she said, deciding that she had asked about everything she needed to know for the time being. Rising and tilting Potter-Black's head back, she dripped the counter-potion into his mouth. Once he was lucid she turned to the Potions Master. "Your turn?"


	44. Chapter 44

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR:

"What is your full name?"

"Severus Alexander Snape." Snape's voice was smooth as always, making him sound less affected by the potion than others, but that same undertone Amelia had heard in Potter-Black's voice was also present in this man's voice.

"Age?"

"Thirty-five."

"Posts?"

"Hogwarts Potions professor, spy."

"Whose spy?" She was actually surprised that he identified with it so strongly that he would name being a spy as one of his posts.

"I am a spy for the Order of the Phoenix," came the even reply, and Amelia nodded grudgingly.

"When did you become a spy?"

"When I realized that the Dark Lord planned on targeting Lily and her family."

Amelia wasn't sure whether to be surprised or not – she had been at Hogwarts when Snape began his first year, after all, and had seen how attached the little Slytherin was to the feisty Gryffindor, but it did surprise her that they had still been friends after so many years.

"Did you warn the Potters of the danger?"

"They already knew," Snape replied.

"Who warned them, then?"

"Dumbledore."

Amelia pursed her lips – she really wasn't a fan of the old man, despite all the good he had done for their society. "Do you answer to Dumbledore?"

"As a Hogwarts professor, yes. As a spy my loyalty is to the Light, not to any particular figure." A complete and concise answer, to her surprise – she really should have worded that question more precisely. Heartened at the fact that the man had chosen to give her a full answer – for she knew that he could have just as easily replied simply with yes or no – she decided to accept his sincerity.

"When did you and Potter-Black first meet?"

"On Friday February 23rd."

"The same day Potter-Black appeared in this time?"

"The same moment," came the surprising reply, and Amelia leaned forward, intrigued despite herself.

"Explain."

"Harry Potter-Black materialized in the middle of an Inner Circle meeting."

Amelia drew in a sharp breath, looking over to where the young man sat, looking somewhat amused and very much alive.

"How did you survive that?" she asked, wide-eyed. Did he actually manage to fight his way through the entire Inner Circle to freedom?

"I bluffed my way out," he grinned, and she blinked. What? "I let Snake Face believe that I had switched to his side after Dumbledore's death in my old timeline, but that the Light had been winning the war and Snake Face sent me back in time to set things right. Actually," Potter-Black grinned wryly, "I still can't believe he bought it. I even managed to make him think that Malfoy was a traitor, which led to his immediate execution. He won't get Susan this time," he smiled reassuringly, and her heart nearly stopped.

"Susan?" she whispered.

"Ah, sorry!" Potter-Black exclaimed, looking slightly panicked. "It's easy to forget that I'm the only one who knows about things that happened last time." Some of her reluctance to ask must have shown on her face, for the young man grimaced. "You don't want to know."

"No," she said slowly, "I don't think I do." Clearing her throat, she turned back to the Potions Master. "How much do you know about Potter-Black?"

"His entire life," Snape replied evenly, and she sighed. Why was every answer from this man so confusing?

"What do you mean by that?"

"Harry showed me his entire life via Legilimency."

"You know Legilimency?" Amelia asked the twenty-one-year-old in surprise, and his crooked grin and nod were answer enough.

"Does he know yours in exchange?"

"Yes."

Amelia blinked. "Just what is your relationship?" Perhaps it wasn't something she needed the answer to, but she was certainly curious enough to ask.

"Life partners," Snape replied, and both Amelia and Potter-Black inhaled sharply.

"Really?" Potter-Black asked in dawning delight, eyes locked on the taller figure. "Life partners?"

"Absolutely," came the smooth reply, and Amelia could only look on in dumbfounded silence as Potter-Black launched himself at his lover, tears in his eyes despite the huge grin he wore.

"Ahem," Amelia cleared her throat awkwardly when it became apparent that Veritaserum didn't numb Snape's mind enough to keep him from returning Potter-Black's eager kiss. "Can you save it for later?"

"Sorry, Amelia," Potter-Black grinned, slowly extricating himself from his partner's hold. "I thought he would merely answer that we're lovers, so…"

"I do understand," Amelia smiled wryly. "Even so, I must ask you to save it for later. I did have a few more questions to ask before the Veritaserum wears off!"

Before long the young man was back in his own chair, and Amelia was able to continue the questioning, though she didn't have many more questions to ask. "What are your plans for the future?" she asked despite having a pretty good idea now that she knew of the two men's relationship.

"I hope to travel the world with Harry and work on potions development, specifically of a potion enabling the temporary ability of Parseltongue."

"You don't intend to continue teaching at Hogwarts?"

"No." To her surprise, the man added, "I am a terrible teacher."

"Why did you apply for the post of Hogwarts professor, then?" Amelia couldn't hide her irritation when the poor things she had heard from her niece were confirmed by the very person the young girl had complained about for years.

"I did not," came the surprising reply. "Dumbledore insisted I take the post so that he could have his spy near at hand."

Amelia was surprised at the note of anger that bled through despite the Veritaserum. It sounded as though there was bad blood between the Hogwarts professor and his headmaster.

"Do you have a grudge against Dumbledore?"

"Yes." The answer was surprisingly cold, and Amelia's curiosity was piqued.

"Why?" Unexpectedly, the answer didn't come from the Potions Master, but rather from his younger companion.

"Dumbledore likes using potions and spells to influence people," the young man spat, and Amelia stared. "Yes, even on me. Especially on me," Potter-Black scowled. "Through the use of spells, Dumbledore completely changed several people's personalities, including mine, Severus's, Hermione's, Ron's… I don't know if he has any on you, but during your time at Hogwarts he most likely had you dosed on fealty potions just as he does all current Hogwarts students. Excepting the Slytherins, of course."

"Do you have proof of this?" she asked weakly; she had never liked Dumbledore, but to accuse him of such crimes…

"Absolutely," came the unwavering answer. "In fact, we even interrogated him under Veritaserum – I can show you the notes we took. We obliviated him afterwards, though, so it's no use asking him about it."

"I would very much like to see those records," Amelia said, her voice still somewhat faint. To think that the Hogwarts Headmaster would do such things… "Does he have Susan under anything?" The thought that Susan might actually be a very different person hidden under a series of spells chilled her to the bone.

"Nothing more than the fealty potion and a loyalty spell to Hufflepuff House," Potter-Black assured her. "Poppy checked her in the future and didn't find anything else in her system, as far as I know."

"How did you find out about the spells and potions?"

"After Dumbledore's death some of us noticed our personalities slowly changing, and Poppy gave everyone a thorough inspection. She, too, was under a lot of spells."

Amelia inhaled sharply – did Dumbledore not know how dangerous it was to influence a mediwitch? Had she violated her Hippocratic Oath because of something Dumbledore had done she would have lost her life, and Dumbledore could have been rightly charged of murder. As it was, he could be charged with a lot of other things, and Amelia intended to see justice done.

"We want him to undergo a public trial to reveal to everyone what he's done," Potter-Black continued, and she nodded grimly. "Unfortunately, it will have to be done soon – he'll be dead within a month."

"Excuse me?" Amelia exclaimed. "He's dying?"

"He put on a cursed ring," Potter-Black snorted, "and though Severus did what he could to prevent the curse from spreading he doesn't have much longer to live."

Amelia gaped at the man.

"All in due time," a deeper voice said, and both turned to Snape, whose dose of Veritaserum had apparently worn off. "There are more important things than Dumbledore to be dealt with."

"Very true," Potter-Black agreed. "The most important thing right now is to prove to the world that Voldemort was back and is now dead for good, and get a new Minister in place. The Ministry needs to be cleaned of corruption, all remaining Death Eaters found and put through trials… there is much to do." Rising, the man inclined his head to Amelia with a serious look. "We will take our leave now, and I will be in touch tomorrow morning. Should I come to you in the Ministry? If you could invite some reporters we can get the news out of the way first thing. From now on everything should be made as public and transparent as possible; we have nothing to hide."

"We are in accord, Lord Potter-Black," Amelia stood and held out her hand to the young man. "Please join me in my office at 10 AM – I will be ready and waiting."

"See you then," the enigmatic man gripped her hand with a smile before stepping back, allowing Snape to shake her hand next. Then both man walked away side by side, silently making their way to the entrance hall and apparating out, leaving Amelia with the prospect of a long and sleepless night preparing to change wizarding Britain.

A/N: Several people have asked, so let me clear up one thing! Both Severus and Harry are definitely under the influence of the potion – it's simply that as Occlumency users they can slightly influence their answers. This doesn't mean that they can tell half-truths, as they are still being compelled to tell the honest truth, but they can choose to elaborate on their answers instead of giving simple yes/no replies. Hope you enjoyed ;)  
Also, over 300 followers! Thank you so much 3 Special thanks to all the reviewers – each comment brightens my day.


	45. Chapter 45

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE:

Hermione was awake when Dobby appeared, having known that this was the night that the Order would confront Voldemort ever since she had checked the Map and found Harry and Severus – how strange it was to think that name – gone. Almost as soon as the diminutive elf appeared Hermione was grabbing his hand, knowing that Dobby had come to tell her that Harry was back but wanting to see for herself.

"Please take me to Harry!" she said, looking at Dobby entreatingly.

"Master Harry was telling Dobby to get Grangy, Wheezy and Mister Harry Potter sir!" the elf told her proudly, and she grinned in relief.

"Thanks, Dobby! I'm ready when you are," she said, ignoring the fact that she was in her nightgown. Who cared about clothing when the news was either about a dead Dark Lord or a foiled attempt? Thankfully, Dobby didn't think to question it, only popping her away with a "Yes, Miss Grangy!"

They had barely appeared in the Potions Master's living room when Hermione was launching herself at Harry, being caught in a firm hug. "How did it go? Did you get him? Was anyone hurt? Oh! You aren't injured, are you?" she pushed herself away, giving him an intent one-over, but his laugh distracted her.

"Never change, Hermione," he chuckled, leaning down to give her a kiss on the cheek while she tried not to blush. "To answer your questions, nobody was hurt, Snake Face is dead, and no other Death Eaters showed up, though there were some people in the building that first the Order, then the Aurors subdued. I hope one of them was Pettigrew," Harry said darkly in an aside to Severus, and Hermione blushed at having forgotten about her professor. "Somehow we managed to forget about the rat."

"Considering Madam Bones now knows about him, I am reasonably certain that Black will be cleared and Pettigrew found before long," Severus said smoothly, and Hermione cocked her head uncertainly.

"I don't know – if Pettigrew hides out in rat form and leaves the country, it'll be practically impossible to find him," she said, always a realist. To her surprise, the professor shook his head.

"Peter Pettigrew was training to be an Auror after school," Severus said, "and the Head of the DMLE keeps a small blood sample of each Auror in case he or she should be kidnapped or lost. The blood is used as a locator – as long as they retained Pettigrew's sample it will be easy to locate him, even in rat form."

"I didn't know that," Harry said, looking impressed. "I suppose there would be no reason to have kept his blood sample, but I can ask Amelia tomorrow."

"You met Susan's aunt?"

"Yes; Kingsley brought her in once we knew that Voldemort was dead and the house secured, and she brought a forensic team to check that it really was Snake Face. She and I will be meeting again tomorrow to speak to the press and discuss some things."

Hermione smiled. "You've gotten so organized," she said fondly, reaching up to teasingly ruffle his hair. It felt surprisingly good, and she resolved to do it a lot more in the future. Somehow it was easy to relax around this Harry, when even around her friends she felt like she had to hold back a bit; her younger friend wasn't very welcoming of touch, but it seemed that this Harry had outgrown that.

"Hey, I'm older than you now!" Harry whined, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. It seemed traitorous to think it, but she preferred this Harry to the younger one – he was so much more mature, but still childish and a lot more appreciative of her presence. She had thought Harry like a brother, but Hames was so much more that.

Just then Harry and Ron arrived, and Hermione bit her lip when she realized that they had taken so long because they had, unlike her, bothered to get changed. Judging by the surprised and somewhat glazed look Ron turned on her, she had erred.

"Neither Severus nor I mind," a soft voice whispered in her ear, and she smiled in relief. Trust Harry to have noticed her thoughts and put her mind to ease. "They only got dressed because they thought 'Professor Snape' might be here, anyway," he added with a mischievous tone, and Hermione stifled a giggle; he was absolutely right, of course.

"Professor," Harry greeted awkwardly, and Severus inclined his head in reply. Ron just mumbled something that might have approached 'good evening'.

"Sorry for getting you out of bed," Hames said, stepping next to Hermione with a smile, "but I wanted to let you know that Snake Face is dead."

The two boys gaped, and Hermione sighed quietly. _Honestly, why weren't they expecting this?_ Sometimes she felt like she was the only one in their trio who bothered to think. _Can I make a new trio with Harry and Severus?_ she thought irreverently, then blushed as she realized what being the third person in their group would mean. _Maybe I'll stay with Ron and Harry,_ she thought weakly. She didn't particularly want to be a third wheel or join the two men as more than a friend. No, no.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?" she squeaked, aware that she was blushing.

"Hmm, now I'm wondering what you were thinking about," Hames grinned, and she blushed harder.

"Nothing!" she said emphatically, but he just laughed.

"Okay, okay," he grinned at her. "We were just talking about how the evening went when I noticed that you weren't listening, so I wanted to ask if you wanted to get back to bed?"

"No!" she said before she even stopped to consider it. Then she realized that Harry was most likely just repeating what he had told her before, and looked over at her Potions professor. "But while you talk to them, maybe I could have a quick chat with Severus?" she quite deliberately used the professor's first name and enjoyed the appreciative glint in the man's eye just as much as she did the reactions of her friends.

"Certainly, Hermione," the man replied evenly, smirking when he glanced at Ron and Harry, who looked absolutely dumbstruck. "Come, let us take a seat. A drink?"

"A glass of water would be lovely, thank you," Hermione turned so that her friends wouldn't see her grin. Severus was playing it up, and so could she. "I really enjoy these chats; perhaps we should have them more often?"

The look her professor turned on her was definitely mischievous. "I quite agree; you are a better conversationalist than most other students, including your friends. Remind me why you spend so much time with them?"

"Severus, you shouldn't insult my friends," she chided him, sitting down with her back to said friends so that they wouldn't see how much she was enjoying this. "At least wait until they've left the room, would you?"

Severus merely smirked, presenting her with a glass of water with a small bow. "So, what did you wish to discuss?"

Hermione was tempted to bring up a complex magical theorem just to tease her friends further, but curiosity won out quickly. "I was mostly wondering about the meeting with Madam Bones – considering Harry clearly knows her from the future, I doubt it was a brief meeting along the lines of 'Here's a dead Dark Lord, good night'," she raised her eyebrows and Severus chuckled slightly, making Hermione wonder how much of that was real mirth and how much a show for the two boys.

"You are correct, of course – somehow it ended up being a two-hour long questioning under Veritaserum… A gesture of goodwill," Severus reassured her. "She did not arrest us, and it wasn't an official session, rather an opportunity to tell her the truth in a safe setting and with a guarantee that everything we said was truth. I did not enjoy it," he admitted, "but it was constructive and as such necessary."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "You weren't both under Veritaserum at the same time, were you?"

"No," Severus promptly replied, leaving unspoken that he would not have agreed to taking Veritaserum had Harry been absent or under the same influence.

"What is Madam Bones like?" Hermione asked curiously. "And why did you speak with her at such length, anyway? Because of her position in the Ministry?"

"We spoke with her at such length mainly because Harry wishes for her to be the next Minister of Magic," Severus replied, and Hermione blinked. "She is a highly competent woman, near impossible to bribe, and without prejudices beyond a general dislike for Death Eaters – they are the reason why she is her niece's guardian, after all. Her questions were fair and her reactions honest; I agree with Harry that the Ministry will improve dramatically under her guidance."

"Will she accept the post?" Hermione leaned forward, suddenly remembering that she wore a nightgown when Severus's gaze briefly flicked down to a spot rather lower than her neck. Blushing, she straightened hurriedly. "Sorry," she said, and Severus shook his head.

"It is of no matter. In fact, I am gratified that you feel comfortable enough in my presence to remain in your nightclothes, and you must know that regardless of what you do, I am simply not attracted to women." Then he smirked slightly, and Hermione was sure that he was about to make some remark at her expense, but he seemed to think better of it and kept it to himself, instead returning to the original topic. "Yes, Madam Bones seemed inclined to accept the post once she understood Harry's reasons for offering it to her. He told her – under Veritaserum – that should she refuse the post he would feel there was no other choice but for him to take up the post himself."

Hermione nodded wryly – she knew that Harry would hate the post and the attention that came with it, but had long resigned herself to his character. He had a self-sacrificing streak a mile wide and a very strong sense of responsibility – she had no doubt that he would take up the mantle of Minister of Magic in a heartbeat if he thought he was the best person for the position.

"Also, there was one aspect to the evening that I think you might find interesting…"

"Oh?" Hermione asked, nearly leaning forward in curiosity but checking her movement in time, trying to ignore the amusement Severus showed openly.

"Yes; as Harry was the one to kill the Dark Lord, I believe there exists a possibility that he can claim all Death Eaters' vaults by right of conquest."

Hermione's eyes widened and she leaned forward after all, propriety be damned. Despite her companion's smirk his eyes never strayed from her face, for which she was grateful.

"I do not believe he has realized yet that that includes my vault," Severus shook his head in mock dismay, and Hermione stifled a laugh.

"No, he wouldn't have," she agreed, assuming an expression of mock despair. "Maybe one day he'll learn to think…" Then she gave an exaggerated gasp. "Or maybe that's why he spends so much time with certain people – to have them do the thinking for him! First me, then Greengrass, then you…" she shook her head in mock disgust. "I can't believe we're only being used for our brains."

"Indeed, it is a terrible feeling to know that I am being taken advantage of," Severus agreed solemnly, but laughter lurked in his eyes. There was a moments' pause – then both of them gave in and laughed, Hermione sloshing water on the table as she set down her glass to avoid spilling it and Severus laughing harder for the expressions on the two boys' faces. His Harry just looked delighted to see them getting along, though something in his expression suggested that he knew they were laughing at him. Severus looked back at Hermione and admitted to himself that he enjoyed her company – it seemed that their attempts to wind up her two companions was leading to something approaching a friendship. Somehow that thought made him feel… content.

A/N: One thing I have neglected to say up till now: Thank you also to my guest reviewers! It's always a shame when one of you makes some really great points and I can't write you a private message in reply, but rest assured that your questions, remarks and suggestions are all considered and influence my story! So thank you very much.


	46. Chapter 46

CHAPTER FORTY SIX:

When the Gringotts doors opened, there was one man waiting there and attracting a fair amount of attention on the awakening street of Diagon Alley. Storekeepers and early shoppers, Aurors and civilians all stared as they passed the closed bank, for the man standing in front of the white marble building was one the likes of which none of them had seen in their lives.

_They're all staring,_ Harry sighed inwardly, his thoughts carefully kept from his face. It wasn't as though he hadn't expected the stares, after all – on the contrary, he had spent a long time deciding on what to wear this day. As with his first Order meeting, the proper image had to be conveyed: That of a warrior, a peacekeeper, a leader, a Light figure, the head of a Pureblood line, competence, status and intelligence had to be conveyed clearly. There was no room for modesty in today's outfit.

The rings of both the Potter and Black Head of family were openly displayed today, but they were the least noticeable part of his appearance. His hair had been carefully brushed but still hung wildly around his face, his green eyes focused not only on the building he was waiting in front of but also on the passersby, the other shops and the activity in the street. Most others would have ignored the other people, but a lifetime of watching others had led Harry to always be aware of his surroundings.

He wore cream-colored pants tucked into high black dragonhide boots, a ruby-red shirt under dark red robes, and a cream-colored cape slung over one shoulder. A sturdy sword was buckled to his waist, and one passerby swore that it was the sword of Gryffindor the stranger wore, startling when Harry turned his head slightly to smile at him, his very aura screaming of mystery and intrigue. Then the doors of Gringotts opened, and the stranger turned and walked purposefully into the bank, disappearing into goblin territory and leaving behind a slew of questions and rumors.

OoOoO

"I have come to claim the vaults and properties of Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, and those of all his followers by right of conquest."

It was the first, and most likely the only time Harry would witness a dumbfounded goblin. Harry let the silence stretch, waiting to see if the goblin would ask for an explanation or simply hand over the keys. Eventually the goblin pulled himself together and used that sharp glance on Harry that he had come to expect from all goblins.

"I will require proof," the goblin said, and Harry nodded.

"Would you prefer an oath, a look at the dead body of Voldemort, or confirmation from an eyewitness that I did indeed kill Voldemort?"

The goblin blinked, seeming surprised at the options Harry had given him. "An oath on your life would be sufficient," the goblin replied, and Harry had to keep from either rolling his eyes or laughing. _Sufficient, _indeed.

"I, Harry James Potter-Black, swear on my life that I did kill Voldemort just yesterday, with the help of Severus Snape who took out Voldemort's last Horcrux." Better not to risk his life on a technicality, after all.

A pregnant pause, then the goblin grudgingly said, "You do not appear to have died." Harry couldn't hold in his snort that time.

"Indeed. So, the vaults?"

"Gringotts will require some time to replace the locks and fashion the keys," the goblin ground out, seeming rather displeased that one man would now own all that wealth.

"Inform me when the changes have been made," Harry nodded, then added, "When you replace the lock on the Snape vault, make two keys and ensure that the second one goes to Severus Snape. He is also to receive a key to the Potter vaults."

"It will be done," the goblin acknowledged, seeming skeptical at the order. It could understand giving the Death Eater a key to his own vault, as he had apparently assisted Lord Potter-Black in defeating the latest human megalomaniac, but giving him a key to the Potter vaults? Pursing its lips, the goblin returned the goblin salute the human gave him and watched the strange man leave their bank. Only as the human was leaving did Grorksnark notice the sword resting on the man's right hip and bared his teeth in a silent snarl. Had the human truly dared to enter Gringotts with the sword of Hrolkvert displayed so openly?

Mood thoroughly ruined, the goblin left to report to his superior, who went so far as to get the director of Gringotts involved – who, luckily for Harry, decided that a human who could defeat a Dark Lord in so little time and wasn't afraid to wear a stolen goblin artefact so openly in goblin territory was dangerous enough to avoid antagonizing him. None of the goblins would like it, but they would serve the Lord Potter-Black with as much civility as they ever showed a human and do their best to stay on the man's good side – for a man who would soon have the backing of much of wizarding Britain, the money of dozens of Pureblood houses in his vaults, the power of a Light Lord and the ruthlessness of a goblin was an enemy they couldn't hope to defeat.

Harry himself would never realize why the goblins treated him so politely from that day on, eventually chalking it up to owning the majority of old vaults in Gringotts and never considering that it might be because he was considered too dangerous to provoke. Severus however did discern the true reason behind the civility when he, too, found himself on the receiving end of goblin courtesy. He chose not to share his thoughts with Harry.

OoOoO

Harry stifled another sigh when his arrival at the Ministry of Magic garnered the same kind of attention he had been the receiver of in Diagon Alley – just on a bigger scale. Walking directly to the visitors' desk, he smiled genially at the man behind the desk, already laying his wand on the smooth surface.

"I have a ten o'clock meeting with Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE," he said, and the balding man straightened abruptly.

"Of course, of course," he said nervously, picking up the stranger's wand to be weighed. "Your name?"

"Harry Potter-Black."

Dean Purtley froze, staring at the stranger. The hair and eyes fit the name, but the age, the aura – his eyes flicked to the young man's forehead, where hair covered any possible scar. Then the man sighed, and Purtley's eyes flicked back to the green ones.

Reaching for his wand, Harry easily plucked it from the man's loose grasp and quietly repeated an oath he had sworn once before. "I, Harry James Potter-Black, swear on my life that that is my name." With that he handed the wand back to the older man. "And I'll miss my appointment if I don't head out soon, so if you could weigh my wand and issue a badge…"

"Ah, yes!" the man scrambled to complete those tasks as quickly as possible, unsure how this man could be who he professed to be but knowing that if he wasn't then there would have been a dead body to be taken care of. "Have a good day, Mister Potter-Black."

"Thank you, Mister Purtley," Harry smiled, preferring not to correct the man – he was a Lord twice over, after all – and ignoring the man's start as he walked away. The man did wear a name tag, after all, and Harry knew that people responded well to being called by name. Yet another thing he had learned from Hermione and her books.

OoOoO

"Ah, Lord Potter-Black," Amelia greeted as the door to her office opened, unsurprised to see Kingsley personally seeing in her guest. Then she got a proper look at the young man she had met the previous night and her jaw dropped in shock – if she had thought last night that the man looked older than he was, today that was doubly true.

"I'll take that as high praise for my outfit," Harry smiled, knowing that it took a lot to impress Amelia. "And please, call me Harry; I'd rather there wasn't any formality between us."

"Harry, then," Amelia acknowledged, knowing that titles would just get in the way if they ended up working together as much as he seemed to expect. "That is actually a good trick," she said as he took a seat, Kingsley closing the door to give them privacy. "You can call anyone by their first name, claiming to have known them in the future, while they are forced to use your formal title until asked to do otherwise."

Harry hummed, giving her an amused look. "It might be fun to call some of the stuffier members of the Wizengamot by their first name just to get a reaction, but I think it may lead to unwelcome complications. I'd rather call the people I actually knew by name," he winked, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, Harry. I asked several newspapers to send reporters by at 2 PM – I would prefer to go into the interview knowing exactly what we want to say, what spin to give it, what impressions we want to give and what information about British society needs to be touched on. There are international newspapers taking part, and we certainly want to give the impression that Britain is getting its act together and improving enough to be on an international standard again. I am of course especially interested in your thoughts about the Ministry, but Hogwarts, too, needs to be discussed. Some tea?"

"Please." Harry removed a few sheets of parchment from a robe pocket – he had anticipated this and brought the notes he had made in the past few days. "Let's just start with Hogwarts, since it won't take long to discuss…" Sliding a sheet of parchment over to Amelia before nodding his thanks for the cup of tea she set before him, he began outlining his thoughts for improvement on the school. "Hogwarts staff, alumni, and British residents in general like to profess that Hogwarts is _the_ premier wizarding school. As you may have noticed, that is far from the truth. There are several extremely competent and talented instructors at Hogwarts, but the school in general has declined to the extent that the rest of the world considers it to be behind most other schools, and British OWLS count for little in the international arena." Boy, had Hermione been furious when she had realized that her education was almost useless internationally.

"These are thoughts that Severus, Harry, Hermione, Ron and I came up with a few days ago, including necessary classes and material, better teachers, and general changes that need to be made. I was even tempted to do away with the Houses, but that's such a fundamental part of Hogwarts that such a change seems impossible. What IS possible, and absolutely necessary, is a change in mentality. Slytherins aren't evil, Hufflepuffs aren't duffers, Gryffindors aren't brainless brawn, and Ravenclaws aren't antisocial nerds. It will perhaps take a lot of work, but we can begin with the new first years – their schoolmates may say things, but at least the staff has to show impartiality and fairness, and several of the older students will be able to set a good example, starting with Harry and his Defense Association. The DA already includes students from three of the Houses, with only Slytherin lacking representation, but it won't be hard to change that. What DOES need to be changed, as soon as possible, is Umbridge's power over the school."

Harry's grim look convinced Amelia that this was a true issue as he continued, "The best course of action would be to get her to trial; the results are sure to cast aspersions on Fudge's character and capabilities, hopefully resulting in a vote of No Confidence."

"On what charges?" Amelia leaned forward, intent on Harry's answer. This was not just her responsibility as Head of the DMLE, but her responsibility as Susan's guardian. If the Defense professor was a person Harry thought needed a trial, then she feared for Susan's safety.

"Several, but the most important is torture."

Amelia's heart stopped. "Torture?"

"Umbridge uses a blood quill in her detentions."

Amelia sucked in a breath. "Each individual unlawful use of a blood quill is a year in Azkaban. How many detentions has she given?"

"I don't know how many in total," Harry shrugged, but the movement was definitely not indifferent. "I myself attended at least 30 detentions with her, but that was throughout the school year, so Harry hasn't lived through so many yet. I know that the Weasley twins also had enough detentions with her for their hands to continue bleeding for several days after a detention, but most others learned fairly quickly to keep their heads down."

"And why didn't you?" Amelia asked, confused. Who wouldn't shut up if the punishment was to repeatedly cut themselves?

"She gave me detention for insisting that Voldemort was back," Harry replied drily, and she grimaced. No wonder the boy hadn't stopped, when to shut up meant to admit that he was wrong – which he absolutely hadn't been.

"Alright, that is certainly a priority," Amelia confirmed, making a note of it on a piece of parchment. "The ideal outcome would also be what you said: Bring Umbridge to trial, have her shown as absolutely guilty, question Fudge's competence when he was the one who gave her so much power over Hogwarts, and call for a vote of No Confidence. I would suggest that you yourself call for that vote, with quick backing from your friends. If you can get Madam Longbottom to back you on that vote, then all the Neutrals will side with you."

Harry's eyes suddenly widened, and Amelia shot him a curious look. "I'll have to ask at Gringotts whether I'm now the head of all those Pureblood lines!" he exclaimed, looking a bit pale at the thought. "This morning I claimed the vaults of all of Voldemort's followers as my rights of conquest," he explained, and though Amelia looked shocked she managed to set his doubts to rest.

"No, you may have gained their funds but not their names. Many of them will attempt to reclaim their vaults in court, but as that will mean openly admitting to being Death Eaters it's likely to simply worsen their situation." She paused, then, "The goblins actually let you claim all that money?"

"Oh, yes," Harry nodded, "They only needed an oath that I did indeed kill Voldemort, and they should be working on changing the locks on the vaults right now." Then he grinned wryly, "Severus was actually somewhat amused that it took me so long to realize that I would be assuming control of his vault as well. I told the goblins to give him a key to both his vault and the Potter vaults; it just seems like such a huge commitment when he hasn't even known me for a month yet…"

Amelia could see his point, and found it somewhat strange herself, but this really wasn't the time to discuss the man's relationship. "He named you as his life partner under Veritaserum – I daresay it'll work out fine." Leaning forward and pointedly pushing at Harry's notes, she said, "Now then, what are you thinking of doing about the Wizengamot?"

Smiling lopsidedly at Amelia's reassurance and quick return to business Harry shuffled his papers to find the one concerning the legal body.

A/N: Forgot to post this last night! I was busy celebrating a very special person's Birthday ;) Double chapter today!


	47. Chapter 47

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN:

"Shacklebolt," Amelia called out to her second-in-command while pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I'm going to catch a few winks. If I don't reappear within the next two hours, send me a Patronus."

"Will do, ma'am. Rest up." A tired wave was the only reply he received as his superior walked to her office and closed the door, back straight and authority undiminished despite the fact that she had been working tirelessly with only Pepper-Up Potions and the occasional nap to tide her over. Kingsley didn't know whether she even noticed the way the Aurors looked at her now; this weekend had only increased the amount of respect the department had for their Head. It was Monday morning now, and Kingsley knew that the morning newspapers were due to be delivered in precisely two and a half hours – and when that happened, Madam Bones had to be up and doing.

How the woman had managed to get a firm grip on the entire Department of Magical Law Enforcement in less than two days was beyond Kingsley, but somehow she had managed to question every single employee under Veritaserum, asking the few questions they desperately needed to know the answers to: Are you a Death Eater? Do you support Voldemort? Have you ever supported Voldemort? Do you, or have you ever, sympathized with his goals? What is your view on Muggleborns? What about Muggles?

Of course, she had not questioned everyone alone – all the Senior Aurors, once they had passed a more vigorous set of questions, were in turn set to questioning the other members of the department. Marked Death Eaters were locked up in Ministry holding cells, Voldemort supporters put together in a room and placed under surveillance, and one-time supporters sent home with notice that they would be questioned further at a future point in time. Some of the 'clean' Aurors were sent out to retrieve the Death Eaters the Order had placed under forced house arrest, while teams searched the houses for Dark artefacts, hostages, or other Death Eaters.

Considering that in just a few hours the wizarding world would find out about Snake Face's – he still couldn't even think of You-Know-Who by name – return and subsequent death, Kingsley was sure that today would be another busy day for his boss. Deciding to do what he could to lift some of the burden from her shoulders, Kingsley's went to organize a protective detail; she might not like it, but she _would _be safe.

OoOoO

"Rise and shine," Shacklebolt's deep voice said to her from about a meter away. "Half an hour till the papers are delivered. Your protective detail is waiting for you outside your door."

Amelia groaned and passed her hand across her face. As always, a cushioning charm had made her floor perfectly comfortable to sleep on, and, also as always, a nap had only exacerbated her headache.

_At least Shacklebolt's voice is easier on the ears than Scrimgeour's, _Amelia thought cheerlessly. The biggest shock while questioning her department had been to find that the Head Auror was one of Voldemort's unmarked supporters. _No wonder Harry had insisted on Shacklebolt as my successor,_ she smiled grimly as she pulled herself up off the floor.

Then the actual words of the message sank in, and Amelia groaned anew as she realized that she only had half an hour to get her act together before all hell broke loose. _Please don't let my first visitor be Fudge,_ she prayed as she drank down a cup of coffee. Grimacing at the strong taste she fixed herself a second cup with plenty of cream and sugar – she definitely needed the false energy – and headed for the door. _And a protective detail?_ She grinned. Oh, she didn't like it, but she knew that it was necessary now, and it felt good knowing that someone else had organized it for her. She really hadn't wanted to order people to protect her, but knowing that Shacklebolt was a reliable second was… reassuring.

_Maybe Harry was right about him,_ she thought as she opened the door. _Perhaps he won't make a bad DMLE Head after all._

OoOoO

Meanwhile, Harry was wrestling with a dilemma that had plagued him ever since he had claimed the Death Eaters' vaults: What about their children?

He was still unsure of which and how many vaults he had taken control of, but he knew that quite a few of the Death Eaters – that he had known of, at least – had children, many of them in Hogwarts or younger still. And what about any adult children – had he somehow claimed their vaults as well, even if they weren't Death Eaters themselves? He was tempted to simply go to Gringotts and ask, but felt it would be rude to show up again when they couldn't possibly be done with the original task yet.

Meanwhile, he was stuck. A good solicitor could certainly make the argument that it isn't the child's fault that the father – or mother – was a Death Eater, and that the money is rightfully theirs. Actually, Harry agreed, and he had no intention of stealing from children... so a trust fund while growing up, then returning their family vaults upon their seventeenth Birthdays sounded like the reasonable solution. Except that some of them couldn't be trusted with the money, especially once they were adults. Malfoy, Nott and Flint were just three examples.

But how could Harry justify giving some their family vaults back, and not others? He couldn't just give them all back and hope for the best, but not returning any of them appealed to him just as little, for he knew that more than one Death Eater had a young child. It wasn't as though all of them were Purebloods, either – some Death Eaters were surely working class, with hard-earned savings. Some Death Eaters might have also been tricked into joining, much as Severus had been, or even blackmailed into joining, and simply lay low instead of risking their necks. Harry could understand that choice, especially if they had already had a family. Could he simply take their money?

_I'll speak to each family individually,_ he decided eventually. Grabbing parchment and paper, Harry wrote a quick, but polite, letter to Gringotts asking for the names of the vaults he had received control of. He could also forward the list to Amelia – after all, they currently had no idea which people were Death Eaters and which weren't, but the goblins surely had a way to keep track of them. Actually, it would probably work out best if they simply had trials under Veritaserum as soon as possible – using Veritaserum himself would be illegal, after all, and he did want to know the truth about their allegiance and families. But that would surely take at least a few days, and if they had no money in that time it would cause them unnecessary difficulties… But he could hardly give all Death Eaters access to their vaults back until the trials – many would certainly take out as much money as possible and flee before they could be apprehended.

_How many Death Eaters are there, anyway?_ Harry wondered. Not even Severus knew, and as an inside spy he had tried to find out many times. With a sigh, Harry decided that the families would just have to fend for themselves somehow until their trials.

_But most of the Death Eaters will go to Azkaban for at least a few years, won't they?_ That would be a problem if their partner wasn't unmarked and capable of taking care of the family, especially so if Harry had all their finances.

_And what about the Malfoys? Narcissa Malfoy swore an oath when the Order helped her, but Draco certainly didn't – and I really don't want to give them the Malfoy money back. _Harry thought for a moment, then decided on a course of action. Narcissa could rejoin the Black family and take Draco with her, making Harry their Head of House and as such, he would be both responsible for them and capable of overseeing their expenses. Draco could be reeducated, both would still be members of an old Pureblood line (quite a bit older than the Malfoy one, actually), and under Harry's influence. _Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer,_ Harry smirked. He wouldn't trust Malfoy as far as he could throw him.

But the other Death Eater children, the ones who would be left without parents… Harry didn't really want them in an orphanage – there were no wizarding ones, and while being forced to live among Muggles would probably educate them, that was a recipe for disaster. Not all of them had family they could go to, and no wizarding family would want to foster a Death Eater's child; but putting them all together in a house with Ministry keepers would also be a terrible idea.

Harry paused. Then, slowly, a smile spread over his face.

A/N: I got a great guest review by Moi which really resonated with me. This is it here: "I wonder how the families of the killed DEs will deal with the fallout. After all, especially when it comes to their children, they very well might have been good parents to them. It's one of the paradoxes many a Nazi's child had to face when WWII was over. Imagine a Nazi doing unspeakable things to people at a concentration camp, while still being a loving parent at home. Impossible to understand, yet it was a common enough phenomenon their children had to face at some point. E.g., the son of the manufacturer of the ovens in the concentration camps until today is tirelessly working at speaking in schools and on site about the atrocities during the holocaust, so that it may never happen again. Ever."  
This review really got me thinking. I knew that I would have Death Eaters that were somehow tricked, forced or coerced into joining the fold, but it adds a whole other level of complexity to have Death Eaters that genuinely hate Muggles and Muggleborns but treat their children as any doting parent would. I think it'll be very difficult to reflect (and it won't happen for a little while yet), but I'll attempt it! Thank you, Moi.  
**ALSO!** For clarification: The money and properties Harry Potter-Black claimed by right of conquest will NOT go to the younger Harry (they are, in the goblins' minds, two separate people). Sirius is currently not Lord Black, as he is a criminal – but there will definitely be some issues over Lordship both when Sirius is declared innocent and when Harry turns 17. (Harry currently only has the key to his trust vault, and only receives access to the main Potter vault upon his 17th Birthday.) 'Hames' however did NOT receive other titles by right of conquest, only material goods.  
As for what Harry the younger has/will have: Currently he has access to his trust vault (which Hames does, too, but he's not about to touch that, since a) he's above 17 and the vault is for a minor, and b) it's currently the only money Harry has access to). Upon his 17th Birthday he'll get the key to the main Potter vault, and should become Lord Potter – we'll just have to see how it's dealt with when there's a future version of himself who already goes by that Lordship. I have the feeling it's an issue wizarding Britain hasn't faced before, so the solution may be a bit creative!


	48. Chapter 48

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT:

**HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED DEFEATED **(12 March, 1996)**  
**By Daily Prophet Correspondent Rita Skeeter

**Despite fervent assurances by Minister Fudge on the contrary, three nights ago DMLE Head Amelia Bones discovered claims of You-Know-Who's return to be truth – when confronted with the freshly deceased body.**

"Late Friday night Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt side-along apparated me directly into Voldemort's hideout," Madam Bones informs us at Saturday afternoon's press conference. "Waiting for me there were Harry Potter-Black, Severus Snape, and the body of Lord Voldemort, beheaded and under a stasis spell. I immediately called for an Auror team to search the building and a forensics team to check the dead body, and I cannot tell you how relieved I was to receive official confirmation that the dead body was indeed that of the late Lord Voldemort, and that he was most definitely dead. In the same building was a second shock of the evening – Peter Pettigrew, very much alive and with Voldemort's brand on his arm, was hiding out among his fellow Death Eaters."

While the other reporters remain frozen in shock at the blunt statements of our DMLE Head, this intrepid reporter manages to get more information for our curious readers. Most importantly: Who defeated You-Know-Who, and how? Who is Harry Potter-Black? What role does Severus Snape, Hogwarts Potions Master, play in this situation?

To this reporter's surprise, the answer comes not from Madam Bones, but from her raven-haired companion. "My name is Lord Harry James Potter-Black," announces the stranger, "and I killed Voldemort with a Cutting Curse to the neck. Severus Snape, our spy in Voldemort's ranks," his gesture in Madam Bones' direction suggests that Snape is the DMLE's spy, "apparated me into Voldemort's hideout and watched my back. This victory would not have been possible without him."

But who is this mysterious Lord? "I am not related to Harry Potter," the man declares upon the question, his smile suggesting hidden secrets, "I AM Harry Potter." At this reporter's request for clarification he reveals a truth too fantastical to believe. According to Lord Potter-Black, he is a future version of our very own Boy-Who-Lived, and traveled back in time to defeat You-Know-Who.

"Lord Potter-Black allowed himself to be questioned under Veritaserum; he speaks the truth," Madam Bones assures the readers. When asked whether the Daily Prophet could have a copy of the interrogation for publication Madam Bones informs us that the original questioning is too detailed for publication, but that the Ministry certainly can forward a condensed version to the Daily Prophet for publication. (Page two)

"Voldemort is dead," Lord Potter-Black declares, his voice firm with conviction. "Now is the time to look to the future; for Britain to reestablish itself as an international player and ensure that this will not happen again. Britain has suffered much under recent Dark Lords, and we must educate the next generation so that we will not face a repeat of the same situation a few years on. Together, let us work towards lasting peace and prosperity."

As I look to my fellow reporters I see that I am not the only one wondering whether Minister Fudge will soon be out of a job.

Main photo: Madam Amelia Bones, Head of the DMLE, and Lord Harry Potter-Black welcome reporters to a press conference on You-Know-Who's defeat.  
Top photo: You-Know-Who's corpse as documented by the Ministry forensics.  
Bottom photo: M. Puller's photo of the corpse as shown at the press conference.

* * *

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE – DYING?**  
By Daily Prophet reporter Andy Smudgley

The man believed to be the world's most powerful wizard is in a steady decline, reports Hogwarts mediwitch Poppy Pomfrey.

"If our estimates are correct, he has only a month left to live," shares the matron, casting a sorrowful look at the room in which the Headmaster rests. "Albus barely has the strength to talk, and even writing is impossible for him. He has already resigned from his post in the ICW, and believes a new Chief Warlock will be elected in the next gathering of the Wizengamot."

Dumbledore's duties at Hogwarts have fallen to the Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall.

* * *

**NEW BACHELOR – LORD POTTER-BLACK!**  
By Witch Weekly

We feel it our duty to alert you to a new and exciting bachelor! We're talking about a hunk from the future: His name is Harry James Potter-Black, and he's what Harry Potter will look like just a few years in the future! Just look at that man, ladies, and get those marriage contracts drawn up! Twice a Lord, he is the Head of the Pureblood houses Potter and Black, extremely rich, devastatingly handsome, amazingly powerful (he defeated You-Know-Who!), and definitely intelligent, this is a bachelor who will not be available for long!

Photo: Lord Harry James Potter-Black welcoming the reporters for a private press conference – with the Sword of Gryffindor on his hip, he cuts a majestic figure!

* * *

**LARGRAXAXES CAPABLE OF TIME TRAVEL!**  
By Quibbler Editor-in-Chief Xenophilius Lovegood

On Saturday morning Lady Poack, who goes by the alias Harry Potter-Black, revealed to me the means of true time travel: One must have a domesticated Largraxaxe! As we have reported in the past, Largraxaxes are extremely difficult to find, but Lady Poack was able to explain to me the reason for it.

"Largraxaxes are the only species capable of controlled time travel, and when one is close to finding one it simply hops into another time," she explains in a very credible man's voice. According to the Lady, Largraxaxes have the appearance of large, blue-and-green toads with bright orange saliva and yellow blood.

"In order for a human to jump through time, they need to domesticate a Largraxaxe and have it voluntarily bite the human. Mixing the saliva with a human's blood – within the body," the Lady specifies intently, "sends the human back in time."

But what sends a human forward in time, you ask? "You don't want to know," the Lady assures, a delicate shudder running through the manly figure. "I will limit myself to saying that a liquid from the other end of the Largraxaxe's body is needed."

Unfortunately, she was forced to leave her Largraxaxe in the future when attempting such a long jump – Lady Poack came from over a century in the future, reverting to a youthful appearance as a side-effect of the Largraxaxe saliva used to power the time jump. When told sympathetically that she is sure to regain her womanly figure soon, Lady Poack laughs in a delightful tenor. "I will admit that I look far too boyish for my liking; perhaps I will at least gain a bit of muscle and look more like an adult." I assured her that she looked very manly in the regal robes she wore, and she thanked me for the compliment. I couldn't help but notice that she glanced at her shoulder in a way that suggested an invisible Jerming was perched there.

What other wondrous creatures has the mysterious Lady Poack managed to domesticate? I will endeavor to find out soon!

Next page: **WILL THE MINISTER'S HELIOPATHS SAVE FUDGE?**

* * *

**LORD VOLDEMORT WIEDER TOT **(Magisches Zeitblatt)  
Bild: Direktor Bones und Lord Potter-Black heißen Reporter aus aller Welt willkommen.

**Tot, lebendig, tot? Es heißt jetzt, dass der Dunkle Lord endgültig gestorben ist – und dieses Mal gibt es eine Leiche. **(Fotos auf Seite zwei)

* * *

**POSIBILIDAD DE PAZ EN GRAN BRETAÑA?** (El Mago Internacional)

**Ha entrado en escena un hombre inesperado: Lord Potter-Black, un viajero a través del tiempo, venció el viernes pasado al Lord Voldemort, el hombre quién durante años terrorizó al país. Potter-Black dice que "ahora es el tiempo de mirar al futuro […] y tenemos que educar la próxima generación para evitar una repetición. Dejadnos trabajar juntos hacia una paz y prosperidad que pueda durar."**

* * *

**ENFIN – QUE FAISAIENT-ILS DEPUIS TOUT CE TEMPS ? **(Journal de la magie internationale)

**Samedi, nous avons été informés que Lord Voldemort avait – de nouveau – été vaincu. Qui a réalisé cet exploit ? Et bien, c'est la même personne que la dernière fois : Harry Potter.**

* * *

A/N : Newspaper articles! At first I was a bit apprehensive about writing these – I had planned on only writing a Daily Prophet article – but then somehow I ended up having a lot of fun with it… (Also, can you tell that Amelia specified that no Quick Quotes Quills be used? Skeeter sure loses a lot of venom when she actually has a huge story to report and some very powerful people watching her, doesn't she…) I wrote these all myself, so I apologize if there are any mistakes in the Spanish or French ones. I kept them on the short side (only including the title and first paragraph), so they should hopefully be just fine. Translations:  
**(Germany)** 'Lord Voldemort dead again (Magical Newspaper), photo: Director Bones and Lord Potter-Black welcome reporters from all over the world.  
Dead, alive, dead? Now we're told that the Dark Lord is completely/finally dead – and this time there's a corpse. (Photo on page two)'  
**(Spain)** 'Possibility of peace in Great Britain? (The International Mage)  
An unexpected man has entered the scene: This past Friday Lord Potter-Black, a time traveler, defeated Lord Voldemort, the man who for years terrorized the country. Potter-Black says that "now is the time to look towards the future […] and we have to educate the next generation to avoid a repetition. Let us work together towards a peace and prosperity that will last."'  
**(France)** 'Finally – What were they doing all this time? (The Journal of International Magic)  
On Saturday we were informed that Lord Voldemort has been defeated – again. Who managed this feat? Well, the same person who did the last time – Harry Potter.'  
I also kind of wanted to write a Russian article 'New Light Lord (Newspaper for Dark Wizards)' and a Korean one 'Peace in Great Britain – better trade options? (Wizarding Trade Journal)', but my language skills in those two languages are nowhere near good enough. Though I daresay writing one about a "dangerous new Light wizard" would have been fun! (I'm not saying that Russians are evil, just that it seemed the most fitting judging by canon. (Bulgarian would be good, too, but I know absolutely no Bulgarian.) I nearly did it for the German article, but decided that the one I wrote was more 'German' (^-^))


	49. Chapter 49

CHAPTER FORTY NINE:

The Great Hall on Monday morning was a study in reactions. Few knew how to react to the news the owls had brought them. You-Know-Who really had been back? Harry Potter hadn't lied? Harry Potter from the future had killed You-Know-Who? Professor Dumbledore was dying? That amazingly good-looking guy was what Harry Potter would look like in a few years?

Just then the doors to the Great Hall opened and two men walked in; few noticed, however, since they were concentrating on their newspapers and the suddenly utterly confusing figure of Harry Potter at Gryffindor Table.

"Luna, I loved your father's article!" a laughing tenor voice called out, and the students looked to the newcomer – only to gape when it was the Lord Potter-Black, walking alongside Professor Snape.

"Thanks, Harry," Luna Lovegood replied, her smile surprisingly warm despite the dreamy look in her eyes. "Do you really have a Jerming?"

The students just looked on in bemusement as Potter-Black grinned at her. "I'm afraid not – but I do have a lot of Kimdingers, don't I?"

"That's true," Luna replied, her smile widening slightly. "They're for Professor Snape?"

"Absolutely," Harry grinned wider. "Oh, I've missed you!"

"I've missed you, too, Harry," the slight Ravenclaw replied sincerely, and Harry, who had just reached her end of Ravenclaw table, reached over the table for her hand, ignoring the surrounding students' surprise.

"We have to get together for a meal and some hot chocolate soon – I'll make it the way you like it," he winked at her, and for a moment her dreamy look fell away and a luminescent clarity took its place.

"Really?" she breathed, and he nodded earnestly, his smile telling her that he meant it. "I'll come by when you're free, then," Luna said, her face displaying an unrestrained happiness that no one had ever seen on her before.

"I know you'll find a good time," Harry smiled, giving her hand a last squeeze before letting go and walking on towards the Head Table, where Severus had pulled up another chair for Harry to sit in. Harry's cheerful, "Hi, Minnie," had students and teachers alike staring – nobody but Poppy called her that, and only the other teachers knew about the nickname. Harry meanwhile just grinned harder when Minerva's lips narrowed so much as to be barely visible, knowing that she was trying very hard not to laugh in front of the students. "Thanks, Severus," he smiled as he dropped into the seat next to his partner, reaching for some food and ignoring the whispering and staring students.

"What, pray tell, are Kimdingers?"

"Love," Harry replied quietly with a soft smile. He met Severus's blank gaze and explained, "Luna actually does see a lot of things others don't – I don't know whether she's just more perceptive or whether there really are physical or magical things others can't see, but if you pay enough attention you'll find that the creatures she talks about are real things. Nargles, for example – did you know that the other Ravenclaws bully Luna?" Severus frowned and shook his head once. "Well, she says Nargles steal things and hide them – 'Nargle' clearly is another word for 'bully'." Harry paused momentarily. "Though I haven't figured out yet why she says Nargles gather around mistletoe, but she might have just said that to throw me off. Anyway," he waved his fork negligently, "Nargles are bullies; real, physical things. She has animals for feelings – such as Kimdingers for love; creatures for weather – such as Hantvents for icy cold breezes; animals for time – such as Timpling Irrens that tell her when it's a good time to speak with someone… et cetera. She's an extremely intelligent person, but she views the way in a slightly different way from the rest of us." Suddenly Harry laughed. "It drove Hermione crazy!"

"I can imagine," Severus drawled, turning back to his food.

"Especially since she also does invent fantastical creatures that presumably don't exist – like the Largraxaxes," Harry chuckled. "She told me about those in the future, saying that they were big toad-like creatures that she and her father hadn't discovered the abilities of yet. I just took a bit of creative liberty when Mr. Lovegood asked a few questions for the Quibbler – I don't know whether he actually believes in the creatures he writes about, but Luna grew up with it as her favorite game, unable to understand why everybody else scoffed at her for it. In Hogwarts it grew to be a sort of defense against the other students, but when I started playing along I grew to understand her much better." Harry smiled as he spooned a bit of porridge into his mouth, not noticing Severus's soft gaze on him.

"She is fortunate to have you as a friend, then," Severus said quietly, and Harry smiled over at him.

"She really will find the best time to visit – the Timpling Irrens will tell her when to come by, you see," Harry grinned. "I do hope that you'll be there, too – Luna could use another friend who understands her, and I make a wicked hot chocolate!"

"What is so special about your hot chocolate?" Severus raised an eyebrow skeptically – but didn't comment on the rest of the sentence, to Harry's delight.

"Luna taught me to add several special ingredients," Harry leaned in as though sharing a great secret, still ignoring all the students talking, yelling questions across the hall to the younger Harry, or staring at him and Severus. "You'll just have to wait and find out," Harry whispered and turned back to his porridge, knowing that Severus didn't like waiting for things.

Indeed, when Harry glanced up at Severus he saw that the man's eyes were narrowed in speculation. "Indeed."

OoOoO

"Well, that's set the cat among the pigeons," Hermione sighed as she carefully folded her Daily Prophet.

"Yeah; good luck, mate," Ron said through a mouthful of food, not seeming jealous in the least of all the attention Harry was receiving. Hermione shot him a surprised look – had Professor Dumbledore's spells really changed him that much? Normally he would be sullen and sulking, snapping that Harry got all the attention and he nothing. But now – he seemed almost happy that it wasn't him in the limelight.

Harry, however, didn't seem to notice. "Thanks, Ron," the boy grumbled, trying to ignore the people pestering him. "Can we just leave? This is a nightmare!"

"Let's," Hermione immediately agreed, grabbing her bag. "The kitchen will be much quieter; I can't even hear myself think here!"

"Woooow," the two boys grinned simultaneously.

"Oh, shut it," she grinned back as they heaved themselves out of the benches. Fighting their way through the people trying to grab Harry to question him, they heaved identical sighs of relief when they reached the Entrance Hall.

"I didn't see anyone trying to pester Hames," Harry grumbled as they headed towards the kitchen, and Hermione shook her head.

"Of course not," she sighed slightly, "not only did he kill Voldemort and is a complete unknown, he was sitting at the Head Table with Professor Snape. How many students _would_ try to pester him there?"

"So he's 'Professor Snape' again now, eh?" Ron asked, a scowl on his face, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"He only gave me permission to call him by his first name in private, Ron!"

"Well, this is private, innit?"

_Is he jealous?_ Hermione thought in disbelief. _Of Severus?_ Shaking her head, she replied, "Private _with him_, not private with you." Ron grumbled at that, but didn't reply, leaving Hermione to consider her thoughts. What did it mean for her if Ron _was_ jealous? He had been of Victor, after all, but he hadn't really seemed serious about her, and she didn't think she was serious about him. Though maybe the fact that the spells were off them would change things? Before he had barely seemed to think of her as a girl, but maybe now it was different? Resolving to think about it properly later, Hermione followed her two friends into the kitchen. _That reminds me that Harry wanted to talk about house elves with me…_

A/N: Alright, dear readers! I mentioned quite a few chapters ago now that I'm gone on vacation all of August – and up till now I still managed to keep up my daily updates, but the next two and a half weeks will not be as regular! I have a transatlantic flight with little kids tomorrow and will almost certainly not post on that day, and I will in fact not be taking my laptop with me, so I'll only be able to post already-written chapters if I upload them to the doc manager today. I do think I'll be posting the next six or so chapters (can't leave you hanging when Umbridge's trial is so soon, right?), but then I simply don't have any more to post. So hang in there, and I'll hopefully be back on a regular basis in early September! Enjoy the rest of August ;)  
PS: MOI! Schaff dir mal nen Account an, ja? Ich will so gerne zurückschreiben, aber irgendwie passt es (find ich) nicht in die author's notes rein . Und was heißt denn bitteschön "Nocha, pfiati"? Du bist wohl aus nem anderen Teil Deutschlands als ich :D Auf jeden Fall danke für dein review!


	50. Chapter 50

CHAPTER FIFTY:

To Harry's surprise, not a single student attacked him that morning. He had honestly expected at least one Slytherin to attack him over breakfast, but apparently Severus's presence had confused them sufficiently – or maybe they were living up to their House's name and waiting for a better opportunity to off him. Unless they actually acknowledged that he was most likely more powerful and experienced than them… Harry had never stopped to consider the bonuses of killing Voldemort beyond that it would save Britain.

That didn't keep him from watching his back in the hallways, however, a fact that didn't escape Severus's notice.

"They are hardly about to attack you in the corridors, Harry," he said in exasperation. "They're _students_."

"Yeah," Harry grimaced, "Because I've always been _so _safe at Hogwarts." Seeing that his comment had given Severus pause, he laid a hand on the man's forearm. "I'm not really worried; I've just grown used to being aware of my surroundings." Giving Severus a sidelong look, he chuckled. "You should have seen me in Diagon Alley the other day – everyone was watching me, but I was watching them, too, so it kind of evened out."

Severus snorted. "I suppose." He didn't tell Harry to relax – the younger man had valid concerns, after all, and being on his guard was certainly for the best. "You will find your way on your own?" he asked with a small quirk of his lips as he stopped in front of the Potions classroom, ignoring the students waiting there.

Harry just laughed and started walking away. "I do remember the way to your quarters, yes," he called over his shoulder. Whistling a jaunty tune, he disappeared around the corner, and Severus couldn't help but smirk when his students immediately broke out into speculation about their relationship, whether Potter-Black really knew the password to Snape's private quarters, and that surely, surely they weren't more than friends at the very most?

"Well?" Severus barked, smirking at the way they jumped in surprise. "Get in," he drawled, opening the door and gesturing for them to enter before him. None of them met his eye as they scrambled inside the classroom.

OoOoO

"You know Potter-Black?" Cho Chang hissed to a smaller Ravenclaw in the hall after breakfast.

Big silver eyes looked up at her guilelessly. "No," Luna replied absently, "but he knows me." With that the petite Ravenclaw walked on to her first class of the day, leaving the older girl standing in the hallway. "It seems that the Wrackspurts have gotten to her," Luna mused quietly. Chang did look like she didn't know quite what to think, after all.

OoOoO

Harry sank slowly onto Severus's couch and stared at the fireplace.

"That was _weird_," he announced to the room. Not the newspaper articles – those had been wonderful. Not the students' reactions to his closeness to Severus either; no, it had been sitting in the same hall as during his student days, with all the people he had been surrounded by in those same days. Seeing the Golden Trio sitting at the Gryffindor Table had brought a pang to his heart, surrounded by so many familiar faces… And once Harry had sat down at the Head Table and finally let himself look over at the Slytherin table…

Harry dropped his head into his hands. Seeing Daphne sitting there and looking at his younger self with such a coldly calculating look had hurt more than he could say. _She's still under Dumbledore's spells,_ he reminded himself again, but it didn't help. In that moment she had looked so… Slytherin. It was the first time he had seen her under the spells – Harry had never noticed Daphne during his school years, not until Dumbledore's spells wore off, the war really began, and they were thrown together as partners in a game of 'kill or be killed'. By then she was no longer affected by the spells and held no particular feelings against Gryffindors, but the way she had looked at Harry this morning…

A tearful smile found its way onto Harry's face. His Daphne had been very reserved; quiet in public but with an inner steel and the dignity of a true Pure-blood. Some had considered her cold because of it. She had kept out of the political conflict until her parents had been assassinated, after which she joined the Light side with an unshakeable conviction that this was the direction her life had to move in. A girl with fairly plain looks, Daphne had features that had let her blend in at school – though once Harry got to see her properly, he decided that she was the most beautiful woman he knew.

She was a person who had known when to give him space, when he needed her there, when to talk to others for him and, above all, how to keep their private life private. It hadn't happened in his time, but Harry had a feeling that if she were hounded by reporters wanting to know about their private life she would find a way to answer the questions in a way that let the reporters believe that she had told them everything they wanted to know while actually revealing nothing. Their wedding day continued to be one of Harry's happiest memories despite the heart-wrenching sense of loss he felt whenever he thought of her.

Sighing heavily, Harry leaned back against the backrest and looked up at the ceiling. _Will it turn out differently this time?_ he wondered. The circumstances were very different now, after all, and she and Harry might turn out to be very different people this time around than last time. Perhaps Daphne had found that inner strength only through the loss of her parents, and maybe Harry never would have the opportunity to get to know her properly. Oh, but the temptation to play matchmaker was strong…

_Maybe Hermione can do it again,_ Harry thought with a fond smile. She had managed, after all, to get them together the last time, despite the troubles of war and terror; surely she could do so again? _Apparently she already knows, after all; sometimes Severus is really bad at keeping secrets, isn't he?_ With a quiet chuckle Harry heaved himself to his feet and brushed invisible lint from his pants. There really were more important things to do than fret about a single person's love life, no matter how important it may be to him.


	51. Chapter 51

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE:

"What is this all about?" Dolores Umbridge simpered as she was shown into the Head of the DMLE's office. "I have detentions to oversee!"

_That was the wrong thing to say_, Amelia thought as she fought down her anger. Which student was tonight's torture victim?

"This should not take long, Madam," she said smoothly, ignoring the way the toad bristled at the omission of her titles. She was, after all, both the Hogwarts Inquisitor and Fudge's Chief Undersecretary, but Amelia couldn't care less. Not when the room she was being brought to was a courtroom for her own trial, after all.

"If you could please sit in the accused's chair," Kingsley said levelly upon reaching the courtroom, and Umbridge walked with a sniff over to the indicated chair.

Mutters began in the ranks of the Wizengamot, until one of them spoke up. "Now then, what is this? We thought we were to sit trial against Death Eaters, not the Chief Undersecretary!"

"Lord Liechtenstein," Amelia addressed one of the purple-robed figures, "This trial was requested by Lord Potter-Black and approved by the temporary Chief Warlock, Madam Longbottom, when she heard that it affects our children."

Beady eyes turned to where Harry Potter-Black was sitting calmly, dressed in identical purple robes. "Then let us hear what Madam Umbridge is accused of."

Augusta Longbottom rapped her gavel sharply on the podium she stood behind. "I call this session of the Wizengamot to order. Today's trial is for Dolores Umbridge, Chief Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, Ministry-appointed Hogwarts Inquisitor, and Ministry-appointed Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor." Several mutters arose at the pointed specification that the woman had been appointed by the Minister to all her posts. "Madam Bones, please read the charges."

Amelia unfurled a parchment and read from it, "Dolores Umbridge is charged with unlawful use of a Blood Quill, exceeding fifty counts, unlawful abuse of power, abuse of rank, abuse of trust, ad hominem abuse, child abuse, defamation, discriminatory abuse, intimidation using violence or the threat of violence to attain political goals, official misconduct, physical abuse, prejudice, racial abuse, and torture."

The hall was utterly quiet as the DMLE head walked up to the podium and handed Madam Longbottom the roll of parchment. Harry was trying hard to keep a satisfied smirk off his face – he hadn't realized that Amelia could find that many charges for the toad – and Umbridge's eyes were nearly popping out of her face, they were that wide. Fudge, sitting on the defendant's bench, was so white-faced that Harry was sure he'd faint.

"This is absurd!" Umbridge spluttered. "Who called for these charges?"

"Lord Potter-Black did," Amelia supplied, casting her niece's professor a hard look. "Lord Potter-Black, if you would testify to your reasons for the charges?"

"Of course, Madam Bones." Harry stood, and wondered whether he was supposed to walk down or stay where he was. When neither Amelia nor Madam Longbottom made a sign for him to move he remained where he was. "As you already know, I was once her student, and I have accused her only of acts she has committed so far in this time frame." Seeing that several people were taken aback at the thought that there could be even more charges applied to one woman, Harry helpfully supplied, "In the future as I knew it, she could have also been charged with the use of an Unforgivable – she cast the Crucio curse on me with the intent of torture at the end of my fifth year." Waving his hand as though it didn't matter, but knowing from the courtroom's reactions that he had just added another nail to her coffin, he said, "But that hasn't happened yet. What I _have_ accused her of is using a Blood Quill on students in detentions – we had to write lines with it, and to this day I retain the scar." He held up his right hand, knowing that the scar was visible only to those closest to his seat. "Most of the other charges are due to Madam Umbridge forcing her political views on her students, abusing me to get me to stop saying Voldemort was back, and openly showing her prejudice against certain Hogwarts professors and members of staff. She should never have been given a position of power over anyone, let alone over a whole school of children. Her position as Hogwarts Inquisitor gave her the power to systematically oppress the student body, and neither the teachers nor the Headmaster could do anything about it."

"Thank you, Lord Potter-Black," Amelia said, and he seated himself again, casually positioning his hands in a way that those around him could clearly see the scar reading 'I must not tell lies'. "Does the accused have anything to say in defense?"

"I have a right to legal representation," Umbridge drew herself to her full height – which was far less impressive than she had most likely hoped.

"Your court representative is beside Minister Fudge on the defendant's bench," Amelia pointed out evenly. Barrister Barnes had been fully briefed on the charges and the reasons for them, and though he too wished to see this woman behind bars he would defend her to the best of his abilities. "Do you agree to having Mister Barnes represent you in court, or would you prefer to represent yourself?"

Umbridge's face clearly expressed that she had wanted to delay the trial until she could either find someone of her choosing to represent her or flee the country, for she knew that there was no barrister good enough to get her out of this situation. "I accept Mister Barnes as my defendant," Umbridge grudgingly assented.

"Excellent. Barrister, if you would give your defense?"

As everyone involved had expected, while Mister Barnes had come up with some good arguments, Umbridge's guilt was clear, and she was convicted to life in Azkaban. Not the high security wing, but even so Harry understood Umbridge's screams as she was removed from the courtroom.

Madam Longbottom called the court to order. "The second point of order is a vote of No Confidence for the Minister of Magic, called by Lord Potter-Black. Lord Potter-Black, if you would explain your reasons for the vote?"

"Thank you, Madam Longbottom," Harry said as he stood once more. "We have just completed the trial for Madam Umbridge, on whom the Wizengamot voted unanimously for lifelong incarceration. I would like to point out that Madam Umbridge was until just a few minutes ago the Chief Undersecretary to the Minister, as well as a Hogwarts Inquisitor and Professor that the Minister himself set in place with the goal of keeping the students from aligning themselves with me or the Headmaster against the Ministry. I argue that Minister Fudge knew not the specifics, but the general methods that Madam Umbridge would use, and as such not only condoned, but enabled abuse of power, abuse of rank, abuse of trust, ad hominem abuse and defamation, along with several other charges that were leveled against Madam Umbridge. I put forward that Minister Fudge himself be charged with abuse of authority, and call for a vote of No Confidence. I would also argue that he is simply incompetent – I am sure we all remember his flat-out denials concerning Voldemort's return. There are other, minor charges that could be brought up against Minister Fudge should it come to a trial."

As soon as Harry had sat down a Wizengamot member called out, "What other charges could be brought up against Fudge?"

"I personally would accuse him of character assassination," Harry rose, "a charge that I incidentally would also level against the editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet." He noticed Lord Hirving, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, slowly leaning back in his seat. "Corruption and bribery, also, for I know that Minister Fudge was generously… supported, shall we say, by the late Lord Malfoy."

"Late?" an astute member echoed, and Harry nodded.

"It is not common knowledge, but Voldemort," many members flinched, "was hiding out in Malfoy Mansion." Most members looked shocked – though Harry wasn't sure why – and only one asked,

"How did Lord Malfoy come to die, then?" Judging by the woman's expression, Harry felt she thought he himself had killed him. Not that she was wrong, of course, but it wasn't as though Harry would admit to it…

"According to our spy, Malfoy was killed by a fellow Death Eater on Voldemort's orders when Malfoy had done something to displease him. Narcissa Malfoy managed to escape, and will soon be rejoining the Black family." He was sure that she would agree to his suggestion; there was nothing left for her under the name of Malfoy except a penniless existence being shunned by all upstanding members of society. Returning to her House of birth would put her under him as her Head of House, which in turn would guarantee a place in society and old money, even while it would give Harry the power to keep her from stepping out of line, and a chance to reeducate Draco. "However, we have gone off-topic," Harry smiled. "So, abuse of authority, character assassination, corruption and bribery. I'm sure there are other charges, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Attempted murder may also be a possibility, as I remember last summer I was tried for underage magic, namely of casting the Patronus spell against two Dementors that attempted to attack me in a Muggle neighborhood. As the Dementors are under Ministry control, I would suppose that they were sent there by a high-ranking Ministry official or even the Minister himself, possibly with the express purpose of giving me the Kiss." Harry paused, then said, "That is however pure speculation, with no evidence to back it up."

"Thank you, Lord Potter," Madam Longbottom intervened, keeping the conversation from going off on another tangent. "A vote of No Confidence has been requested. Please submit your vote." Glowing numbers appeared on her pulpit, changing in leaps and bounds as members anonymously cast their vote. The hall was surprisingly silent, and Augusta personally couldn't believe that Fudge hadn't said anything in his defense – but then, perhaps even he had seen the futility of protest. The vote of No Confidence had been perfectly timed: After Umbridge's trial nobody was particularly happy with the Minister.

Suddenly the numbers flashed, and Augusta straightened. "The vote has passed; Minister Fudge has the rest of the day to clean up his affairs. An interim Minister needs to be voted on; may I have your suggestions?"

"Rufus Scrimgeour," one voice called out, and Amelia promptly stepped forward.

"I object; Scrimgeour is an unmarked supporter of Voldemort and has been removed from his position as Head Auror." Murmurs broke out among the gathering.

"Augusta Longbottom!" Amos Diggory put forward, but Augusta simply shook her head.

"Thank you, but I must decline. I would, however, accept the post of Chief Warlock should this body deem me fit."

"I motion that Madam Longbottom assume the post of Chief Warlock," Diggory said promptly, and Harry immediately seconded the motion. A brief wait, then Augusta brought down her gavel.

"Motion passed. May I have other suggestions for the post of interim Minister?"

"Lord Potter-Black!" An anonymous female voice called out, and Harry looked in the general direction of the voice, feeling the attention on him. To his surprise, no one spoke out against the suggestion.

"Thank you, but I believe there is someone more suitable for the post," he smiled, and another member of the Wizengamot promptly asked who he would suggest for the post.

Harry looked to the front of the courtroom and saw Amelia's wry smile and brief inclination of the head. "I would suggest Amelia Bones for the position," he said. "I believe she will take part in the running for Minister when the time comes around, and I fully intended to support her then. However, I don't know whether she is ready to assume the position at this point in time. Madam Bones, is your department ready for a change of Head?"

Amelia simply nodded. "It is, Lord Potter. Kingsley Shacklebolt is a capable leader and the department will do well in his hands."

"It sounds as though this was all planned," a member said in a tone of disgruntlement, and Harry looked to him.

"Of course it was," he agreed. "I didn't come back in time to defeat Voldemort only to leave an incapable man in a position of power. I would like to see someone not only I, but the rest of the world can trust as Minister of Magic. In my opinion, Madam Bones is the best person for the job. She has done a formidable job as Head of the DMLE, and is notoriously incorruptible. I firmly believe that she will lead the Ministry in a direction that will prevent another Dark Lord from rising and assuming control."

"You speak as though the Dark Lord was in control of the Ministry," the same member challenged.

Harry tilted his head slightly. "Well, he hadn't taken control of it yet in this timeframe, but consider the fact that Fudge was all but Malfoy's lapdog – then consider the fact that Malfoy, before his death, was Voldemort's right-hand man. Voldemort could have all but strolled into the Ministry and claimed it as his own."

A minute of silence descended over the room as they considered the possibility that to them now was nothing more than a theoretical situation but to Harry had been real. "I second Amelia Bones as interim Minister," Diggory broke the silence, and Madam Longbottom called for the vote.

"We have Madam Bones as interim Minister," she announced the result of the vote. "Are there any other points of order?" Silence as everyone looked to Harry, who simply smiled and shook his head. "Thus ends this session of the Wizengamot," Augusta banged the gavel a last time.

A/N: I will be the first to say that I have no clue how court works. I have never read up on the subject, never seen any legal tv shows, and never paid particularly close attention when it came up in fanfiction. That said, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! About time Umbridge got what was coming to her. Fudge hasn't been fully dealt with yet, but I definitely won't write up the whole trial he's sure to get. I probably won't go into detail about the Death Eater trials, either – this one was the first trial, and a pivotal point for the Ministry, and as such needed to be fleshed out. The others, however… :P


	52. Chapter 52

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO:

Minerva was trembling. "You mean to tell me that that _woman_ was _torturing_ my students? And nobody noticed? Why did none of you come to me?"

Harry winced. "Well, I did, if you'll remember…"

It took a moment, then Minerva suddenly went pale and sank into a chair. "You mean to say-"

"Yeah," Harry smiled crookedly. "Don't worry, I know you didn't know the circumstances."

Minerva passed a shaky hand over her eyes. One of her students had come to her for help and she had waved him off with instructions to keep his head down without waiting to hear why he was desperate enough to come to her. "Did Albus know?" she asked quietly.

"Er, I don't know," Harry admitted with a slight frown. He hadn't thought to include that question when they questioned the old man, but it wouldn't surprise him if Dumbledore had known all along. "At any rate, she's gone now, and you'll want to announce as much to the students at dinner. You'll also need a new Defense instructor; someone who'll teach the students the spells they need to know, especially the OWL and NEWTS students. I personally would ask Amelia for a few Aurors to teach the classes until the end of the school year; right now placing your trust in the new Minister of Magic is a good show of support for Amelia and a great way to let the Ministry make reparations for their earlier mistake. After Umbridge, showing that the Ministry does have a lot of talented instructors is exactly what they need, and Hogwarts needs capable teachers in a hurry."

Minerva sighed heavily, picking up her glasses and putting them back on. "I'll contact her right away," she gave him a small smile, which he returned happily. "Thank you, Harry."

"Anytime, Minnie," he leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Even though he had never done it before, not even in the future, it somehow seemed the right thing to do, and her bemused smile was worth it. "Good luck! I have to go have a little chat with Lady Malfoy." With that he left her office – she had chosen not to move into the Headmaster's office until Dumbledore's death – and headed through the school, smiling at and greeting students he passed along the way.

Before long he reached the edge of the school grounds and apparated to the Order safe house Narcissa Malfoy currently resided in.

"Lord Potter-Black," the woman rose and bowed when he appeared in her living room. "I thank you for your time."

"Of course, Lady Malfoy; we are family, after all, are we not?"

"We are," the aristocratic woman agreed, appearing as regal as always despite the conditions she found herself in. "Might I offer you some tea?"

"Thank you, but no," Harry smiled. "I came to see if you accepted my offer, for then we could move to another location and you could offer me tea in your family home."

Her look was both surprised and sharp at once – a disconcerting combination, in Harry's opinion. "The Black home?"

"Yes," Harry nodded. "The home you grew up in, of course, not the Black townhouse. You would be Miss Black once more, with all the privileges, responsibilities and money that come with that title."

"And should I choose to remain Lady Malfoy?"

Harry shrugged slightly. "Then you would be homeless and penniless, dear cousin. The Malfoy name has nothing left but precisely that – its name."

"You would not return her rightful vaults and possessions to your dear cousin?" Narcissa asked mildly, attempting a light touch of reproach to creep into her tone.

"No," Harry replied genially, smiling slightly as they looked at each other in silence. Eventually Narcissa was the one to break the silence.

"What of my son?" she asked, and Harry could make out true motherly concern lurking behind the unconcerned façade.

"He, too, could accept the name of Black, and continue to live with his mother. He would be treated as a full member of the House of Black, along with the trust vault, privileges and responsibilities that the name brings with it."

Narcissa's eyes narrowed slightly. "What's the catch?"

Harry grinned, and could see that Narcissa was immediately on her guard at the simple change in expression. "Two things. The first is that both of you, without complaint or protest, allow yourselves to be introduced properly to Muggle culture, until such time as I deem you capable of passing for Muggles yourself." By the curl of her lip Harry could see that that specification was utterly repulsive to her. "The other is this: I am concerned about the families of the other Death Eaters."

She seemed surprised, and more than a little wary, and he bid her take a seat. Once they were seated he leaned forward and explained his statement.

"You see, while I do not approve of the Death Eaters' actions or beliefs, I do not consider the child to be responsible for the parent's actions. As I mentioned in my letter, I have assumed control of all Death Eaters' vaults and possessions by right of conquest – effectively leaving them and their families penniless. Once the trials begin I have no doubt that most Death Eaters will end up in Azkaban, potentially leaving their families unable to support themselves, or leaving children without parents to take care of them. The Ministry would most likely put those children into Muggle orphanages, but I'm sure we both agree that that's a terrible solution."

"What are you suggesting?"

"I want you to take care of them," Harry said bluntly. "Black Manor is spacious enough for several families, and I want the children to be raised properly. I would support families who still have one or both parents and bring children without parents to the Manor, hire tutors, and provide for them. My only specification for supporting the families of Death Eaters will be that they learn about the Muggle world – I find baseless prejudice rather daft. Each person is entitled to their own opinion on Muggles, but they should at least form an educated opinion of them." He paused. "Do you disagree?"

"No," Narcissa replied grudgingly, "It seems a fair exchange." She was trying to find something to say to get herself out of the task of welcoming a large number of children into her home, but couldn't find any true issues with the arrangement. She was very fond of children, and thought it would be good for Draco to have more children around.

"I will not be capable of taking care of a large number of children on my own," she pointed out, and Harry nodded.

"Of course not; I would hire at least one human caretaker, and find a number of house elves to help out. I would not give you the sole responsibility for the children."

_In other words, not only does he not trust me alone with the children, the other 'human caretaker' will most likely be a mudblood or some such. _Keeping her face perfectly blank, Narcissa rose from her seat. "That will be acceptable," she said. "I will let Draco know of the change." _After all, how difficult could it be to pass as a Muggle? They are baseless creatures, barely worthy of being called human. These 'catches' will not be an issue, and raising the next generation will create many future connections._

"Let me know when he has made his decision," Harry stood up, "and we can then go to Gringotts to bring you back into the family. Until then you are free to stay here." With that he disapparated, heading for Grimmauld Place to let Sirius know of the changes. Hopefully Remus would be there to mediate – that was one conversation Harry was not looking forward to.


	53. Chapter 53

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE:

_Maybe I had misjudged Sirius's character this whole time,_ Harry thought as Sirius embarked on a furious rant about bringing murderers into the family. _I had hoped that some of it would be Dumbledore's spells, but it seems that if anything, they had been hiding this vindictive nature – unless that's a result of Azkaban and I just didn't notice it the last time around?_ Harry had removed the last of Dumbledore's spells before this conversation, but it hadn't seemed to make a difference.

"Bad enough that we have _you_ as Head of the family; now you bring Narcissa and fucking _Malfoy_ into the family?!"

"Alright, that's enough," Harry stood, refusing to be talked down to any longer. "As your Head of House, I demand that you sit down, shut up, and listen to me." Against his will, Sirius was pushed into a seat and silenced. "Now then. Narcissa is perhaps just as bad as her late husband, but I don't know for sure, and the only way to know is to find out. I am not bringing her into the family and giving her free reign – she is under my command, and she will act as befits a Black. She will learn about the Muggles she reviles – as should you – and so will her son. She will watch over children not her own, with other supervision in place that I will choose, and you can be sure that at least one of the caretakers will be either a squib or a Muggleborn. Tutors will teach the children not only about magic and magical culture, but about Muggle society and other races. As long as a child is growing up under my protection, that child will learn of all sides of an issue. Narcissa will not be raising little Dark Lords. The other Pureblood families that fell under my control will either learn to cast aside their prejudices or learn to live without the funds they had previously; Death Eaters who were tricked into joining Voldemort will be supported and reintegrated into society. And _you_ will look for a mind healer as soon as you are declared innocent. You are acting frankly unstable, and at this rate you will drag the name of Black into the dirt more surely than Narcissa. Do you understand me?"

A sullen glare was his only reply, and Harry narrowed his eyes. "Very well. Sirius Orion Black, you are confined to this house and barred from accessing the family vaults until such a time as I choose to release you. If you are called to the Ministry for legal business you are free to go there and return straight here afterwards, letting me know before you leave the house. You will not send Winky to run any errands for you without my permission, nor will you use any other house elf." Harry sighed, the tension leaving his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Sirius, but I really see no other choice. Please talk it over with Remus or Harry; if they can convince me that I made the wrong choice, then I'll release you from those commands." It was with a heavy heart that Harry turned and walked away, feeling guilty for suspecting his godfather of being mentally instable. But really, what else could he think?

In a way, Harry was glad that Remus hadn't been around after all.

OoOoO

Albus Dumbledore sat alone in his hospital room, the Daily Prophet open on his lap. _I'm dying, and yet barely rate a third of a page,_ he thought numbly. Voldemort was gone, defeated by Albus's own protégée – and with a simple cutting curse, if the article was to be believed – and Harry was well on his way to becoming the new Minister of Magic. Harry featured prominently on the first three pages of the Daily Prophet: The title page dedicated to Voldemort's defeat, the second page with a Q&amp;A from Harry's Veritaserum session, and the third page filled with other people's opinions on the man – while Albus was relegated to the fourth page.

_This isn't what I wanted._ Dumbledore would have clenched his fists if he still could. He was so weak that he disgusted himself. _Look at what the Light Lord has become,_ he thought bitterly. _No better than my poor Gellert, locked up in Numengard without his magic. No – I still have that,_ he thought rebelliously, wandlessly levitating his newspaper just to prove to himself that he could. Few wizards could even cast wordless spells, but even under the effects of a Dark curse Albus was capable of casting wandlessly. _I am not dead yet,_ he raised his head, a determined glint in his eye. _I will not be held down._

OoOoO

Minerva took a deep breath and rose from her chair, slowly making her way around the Head Table to stand facing the student body, the other teachers at her back.

"Might I have your attention," she said clearly, the words traveling easily through the hall and quieting the last few students that hadn't already fallen silent when she had started walking.

"This morning we received many shocking surprises, and already wizarding Britain is different from how it was just a week ago. Now it is time for Hogwarts, too, to change – and some of you may have already noticed the first change." Murmurs ran through the hall, only a few students seeming to understand what she was alluding to. "Today the Hogwarts Inquisitor and Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, Dolores Umbridge, was brought before the full Wizengamot for a trial." Several gasps rang out, and while fewer students than she had hoped looked surprised, silence prevailed.

"Madam Umbridge was sentenced to life in Azkaban on the charges of abuse of power, abuse of rank, abuse of trust, ad hominem abuse, child abuse, defamation, discriminatory abuse, intimidation using violence or the threat of violence, official misconduct, physical abuse, prejudice, racial abuse, and torture," Minerva recited, the words forever burned into her mind. Closing her eyes, she spoke on. "I was not Headmistress at the time, but as Deputy Headmistress I feel that I should have seen the things that woman was doing within the walls of Hogwarts. I should have paid more attention to the detentions my students were assigned. I should have supported you when it was my responsibility to ensure your wellbeing. No student under my charge should have been tortured," she forced out, her fingers interlaced so tightly before her that they were white.

Opening her eyes, Minerva forced herself to look at her students, the children that were, and had been, her responsibility. "I swear to you today," she said firmly, "that it will never happen again. While I am at this school, none of my charges will suffer as you have. I cannot undo what has been done, but I hope to mend the trust that has been broken. I place myself in your hands," she inclined her torso until she was in a deep bow, face to the floor. Shocked silence engulfed the room, and Minerva closed her eyes, hoping it would be enough. There could be no repairing what had been done, but she hoped that a new start would be possible.

Straightening slowly, she then looked at each table in turn, catching different students' eyes. "My door is open to all of you," she said softly, the acoustics of the room carrying the words to her students' ears. "I am now Headmistress of Hogwarts, and as such will endeavor to be impartial in all things. Whether badger, snake, lion or raven, you are welcome in my office for any concern you may have. It remains to be seen whether I will continue as Headmistress in the coming school year, but for now let us work together to the best of our abilities."

Taking a step back, Minerva indicated the vacant Defense Professor's seat. "Madam Bones has agreed to lend us qualified Aurors to catch you up on your missed studies, with a separate Auror for each year level. OWL and NEWT students will have the option of taking their Defense Against the Dark Arts examinations at a later date if they do not feel by the end of the school year that they have caught up on this year's studies. It will appear in tomorrow's newspaper, I am sure, but Cornelius Fudge is no longer Minister of Magic – Amelia Bones, former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, has taken on the position of interim Minister and will be in the formal running for the post." A small smile quirked at her lips at the looks some of the students turned on Miss Bones, several comments along the lines of 'Your aunt is Minister of Magic?!' sounding out along Hufflepuff Table.

"That is all for now," Minerva announced, "and if you have any questions, all of our doors," she indicated the teachers sitting at the Head Table, "are open to you." Her smile grew slightly. "However, I would ask that you wait until tomorrow, as I have not yet have time to brief the other teachers on the situation. I am sure that tomorrow we will all be far better informed, and I will ensure that notices detailing the planned changes to Hogwarts are posted on the Houses' bulletin boards before the end of the week. For now," she inclined her head, "I wish you all a good night."

The student body erupted into frenzied conversation as groups of students discussed the newest changes, the actions of their new Headmistress, and the possible changes to Hogwarts; Minerva however found her eye caught by several students, all wearing grave expressions and giving her a slow nod as soon as they locked gazes. Minerva needed no further confirmation to know that these were the students tortured by Umbridge, and a single tear ran down her cheek at the number of them.

_How did no one notice?_


	54. Chapter 54

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR:

"Alright," Harry said to Dobby. "Do you know if the house elves still answer to Dumbledore first, or do they have to obey Minerva's orders now?"

Dobby bounced slightly on the spot, hands clasped behind his back. "House elves is answering to Headmistress, Master Harry," he replied in his high-pitched voice.

Harry nodded pensively. He didn't want to bring Minerva in on this just yet, but… "Are the house elves still adding potions to the food?" When he ate breakfast in the Great Hall that morning he had made sure that Dobby was in charge of his food; Severus drank a counteracting potion before each meal to avoid being affected by the potions again.

"They is, Master Harry," Dobby said, twisting his ear slightly in worry.

"That's what I thought," Harry muttered. He had made it back to Hogwarts in time to hear Minerva's little speech from under the invisibility cloak, and knew that now was the perfect time to start weaning the residents of Hogwarts off the fealty potions keyed to Dumbledore. He rubbed his forehead lightly. "The house elves can't just stop adding the potions to the food?"

"No, Master Harry," Dobby ducked his head and scuffed his foot against the floor. "Orders is orders."

Harry sighed. "Can anyone else override Dumbledore's orders? Since he's no longer in a position of authority at Hogwarts, could someone other than Minerva give the house elves a different order?"

Dobby paused, then looked up with wide eyes. "Heads of Houses can, Master Harry! Maybe Professors too, Dobby is not being sure. But Professor Snape is Head of House, Master Harry!"

Harry's eyes lit up. "So Severus could tell the house elves to stop adding any potions to the food and drinks, and they would do it?"

Dobby hesitated. "Is best to order, Master Harry," he temporized. "Or house elves add it again when Dumbles tells to."

"Got it," Harry grinned. "That's great, Dobby! Severus can speak with the house elves after the staff meeting, then." Suddenly he remembered, "Oh, and – before I forget – we really need to get you that uniform I promised you! We'll have to have it custom made, since I don't think either the Potters or the Blacks have house elf clothing in their vaults, but you and Winky – and other elves in the future – should have something proper to wear."

Dobby nodded enthusiastically, eyes wide and shining. Clothes! Proper clothes!

"I'm just not sure where we can go to get a house elf uniform – do you think Madam Malkin would do it?"

Dobby beamed at being asked for his opinion – Master Harry was the best master in the world! "Dobby is knowing a woman who worked for old masters, making clothes for little Master and being very nice when Dobby comes to pick up clothes! Misses is always saying that Dobby is not wearing proper clothes," Dobby nodded, pulling at his pillowcase.

"Wonderful!" Harry exclaimed. A children's tailor who thought that house elves should be better dressed was exactly what they needed. "We'll go to her tomorrow morning, then. Do you know at what time she opens shop?"

"Dobby is not knowing," the house elf's ears drooped, "but Dobby is always being sent at eleven mornings, Master Harry."

"We'll go at eleven AM tomorrow, then," Harry decided. "Winky will come with us as well, alright? Please tell her that I am not going to give her clothes, but that she needs a uniform befitting a Black elf. Okay?"

"Yes, Master Harry! Dobby can be telling Winky that!" the eager house elf squeaked, and Harry couldn't help but grin.

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow morning, then. Good night!"

"Good night, Master Harry!" With that the house elf popped away, most likely to inform Winky of tomorrow's errand. _Hopefully she won't think she'll be getting clothes,_ Harry shook his head, standing up and stretching out his limbs. His knees didn't really appreciate kneeling on the stone floor, but he'd be damned if he talked to Dobby while standing at his full height.

"Is the house elf gone yet?" A voice said drily, and Harry was already spinning with his wand in his hand when he recognized Severus's voice. He was getting better at not reacting in the ways he had gotten used to, but sometimes even familiar, beloved voices would catch him off guard. _At least this time I stopped before I hexed him,_ Harry thought wryly, grimacing inwardly as he remembered one night when he had awoken from a nightmare only to curse Severus when he thought he was being attacked.

"Yeah, Dobby's gone," Harry replied, sliding his wand back into its arm sheath. "Could you go to the kitchens and order the house elves to stop adding potions to the food and drink? Dobby said that now your orders can override Dumbledore's, and I thought now would be a good time to keep him from drugging people with fealty potions. The more others start questioning his actions, the easier it'll be to knock him down later."

"Very well," Severus agreed, an anticipative glint in his eye. "Would you care to accompany me?"

Harry hesitated briefly, then shrugged. "Sure, why not?" Walking to Severus's side, he smiled at him, then leaned up for a kiss. "How has your day been?" he asked after breaking off the kiss, knowing that if he didn't they would get carried away… which would be nice, but it should wait another half hour or so.

"Long," Severus drawled with a grimace, and Harry laughed.

"Yeah, mine too," he said, linking his arm through Severus's and walking beside him to the door. "How were your classes?"

As Medusa slid aside to let them enter the corridor Harry slipped his arm back out from under Severus's, wanting to walk through the castle that way but knowing that now probably wasn't a good time to reveal their relationship to the world – for should a single student see them that way the rumor was sure to spread rapidly, and that particular complication could wait for another time. The wry smile Severus shot him assured him that his partner understood, and they made friendly conversation as they walked the halls of Hogwarts.

OoOoO

Harry awoke in a cold sweat, thrashing against the blankets confining him and falling onto cold stone floor.

"Harry," a sleepy voice said softly, and he scrambled for his wand.

_An enemy wouldn't call you Harry,_ a distant part of his mind pointed out, and Harry squinted into the darkness. "Who's there?"

"Severus Snape," the same voice replied, and Harry frowned slightly. One part of his mind was telling him that Severus was dead while another part told him that he wasn't. "I'm going to cast a lumos, alright?" A short pause followed, then a softly uttered lumos. Harry flinched against the sudden light, blinking rapidly to make out the shape of the person holding the wand.

Suddenly things clicked in his mind and Harry dropped his head, placing both hands on the floor and exhaling heavily. "Sorry," he whispered.

"It is of no matter," Severus replied evenly, and when Harry looked up he saw that the man meant it. Standing slowly, Harry lay his wand back on the bedside table – in the future he had grown used to sleeping with his wand holster on, but he had abandoned that habit when he had started sleeping with Severus – and pulled the sheets back onto the bed. With a sigh he slipped between the covers, lying down right up against Severus and breathing in the man's comforting scent as a warm arm came up to hold him.

"It'll get better eventually," Severus said softly, and Harry nodded against the man's neck.

"I know," he whispered. It was just so hard. Curling up even closer to Severus, almost as though he was trying to merge into one person, Harry slipped back into sleep. _At least I never have issues falling back asleep,_ was his last conscious thought before he slipped into another dream that would turn into a nightmare before long. Meanwhile Severus lay awake, watching over his lover and knowing that it would be another restless night.


	55. Chapter 55

CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE:

Severus kissed the top of Harry's head softly and began the finicky process of extricating himself from the younger man's hold. _The man is like an octopus,_ he thought in fond exasperation as he untangled his legs from Harry's. Harry stirred and blinked up at him, and Severus found a small smile for him. "Sleep," he whispered and pressed a soft kiss to his lover's temple. As he had hoped he would, Harry immediately burrowed deeper into the blankets, and Severus slipped out of the bed unhindered.

_I hate teaching,_ he thought wearily, the animosity of the thought dulled by many years of repetition. _I cannot wait until I can leave this job. _Once in the bathroom he closed the door and splashed water on his face, meeting his gaze in the mirror. _I look half-dead,_ he thought mirthlessly. The dark rings under his eyes did nothing for his almost sickly pale complexion. With a sigh he grabbed a towel and dried his face. _At least I don't have to go through the whole ordeal of agonizing over why Harry seems to love me, _he smiled slightly. _Since nobody could love me for my face._

He had used to think nobody could love him, full stop – but the fact that he and Harry had shared their entire lives through Legilimency had eradicated that doubt. Sometimes Severus would start questioning why Harry seemed to enjoy his company and companionship, but just as quickly he would remember the things Harry had showed him and realize there was no point in questioning it. Legilimency was, over all, an honest method, and Harry had hidden nothing when it came to him: past slights were displayed, Severus's every imperfection acknowledged, his terrible teaching personality laid bare – but also many, many things were revealed that Harry had found made getting to know his former teacher worth it. _And look at what it led to,_ Severus smiled, drawing his robe on over his teaching clothes. No, he would never question Harry's feelings.

OoOoO

The entire student body looked up as a large number of owls flew into the Great Hall that breakfast, eager to know what had happened the previous day.

"We already know from Professor McGonagall that Umbridge is gone and Madam Bones is interim Minister; do you think there'll be anything else important?" Harry asked as he watched a great tawny owl winged its way over to Hermione.

"Probably not," Hermione hurriedly cleared a space for the owl to land if it wanted to, but instead it dropped the newspaper right onto her plate. "Urgh," she grimaced, picking up the newspaper by a corner and casting a cleaning spell on it to get the jam off it. "Right, let's see what Skeeter has to say."

The front page was quite clearly that reporter's work, with a huge headline reading, '**NO CONFIDENCE FOR FUDGE! HOGWARTS INQUISITOR ARRESTED FOR CHILD ABUSE AND TORTURE!**'

"Why does Hames let that," Ron quickly swallowed his mouthful of food at Hermione's warning look, "woman write the articles? He should know perfectly well what a liar she is."

Harry replied before Hermione could, "She's effective, that's why." At Ron's puzzled look he elaborated, "I mean, of course I know what a liar she is, but she hasn't lied up till now, right? She wouldn't dare, anyhow – she knows that Hames has ways to ruin her, especially now that he has the political backing to, and he's the reason she even has all these big stories to report on. She wouldn't let that chance pass her by. Hames knows that she's well-liked by most of the wizarding public, since she's considered to write the truth without mincing words – which isn't true, of course, but they don't know that – and while she's on his side she'll badmouth his opponents more effectively than he could. Right, Hermione?"

"Absolutely," she agreed absently, already skimming over the title page article. "Fudge will have a hard time getting back into anyone's good graces after this article," she snorted, "and Skeeter is definitely trying to stay in Hames' good graces by publicly supporting him and Madam Bones." Unwilling to hand over her newspaper, Hermione read the article out loud.

**Yesterday during a Wizengamot session Lord Potter-Black called for the trial of the Chief Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, Dolores Umbridge. Sentenced to life in Azkaban, the crimes of the Ministry-appointed Hogwarts Inquisitor threw up doubts about Minister Fudge's competency – and resulted in a vote of No Confidence. **

**Minister Fudge turned pale all the way up to his steadily receding hairline when his Chief Undersecretary and right-hand woman was charged with numerous crimes including abuse of power, child abuse, official misconduct, and torture. This reporter was shocked to hear that the woman's many crimes all led back to one post: That of Ministry-appointed Hogwarts Professor! **

**While the courtroom was reeling from the implications of the charges, Lord Potter-Black stood to explain his reasons for them. "As you already know, I was once her student, and […] I have accused her of using a Blood Quill on students in detentions – we had to write lines with it, and to this day I retain the scar." To the courtroom's collective shock, the Lord then raised his right hand, clearly displaying the words 'I must not tell lies' etched into the otherwise flawless skin. According to Lord Potter-Black, Umbridge chose those lines for his detentions because he insisted on telling the truth: That Lord Voldemort had returned. This was not a view shared by the Minister, and Madam Umbridge defamed and ad hominem abused the young Harry Potter with the full support of Minister Fudge. **

**Once Lord Potter-Black had spoken a few choice words about the other charges, he finished by saying that "she should never have been given a position of power over anyone, let alone over a whole school of children. Her position as Hogwarts Inquisitor gave her the power to systematically oppress the student body, and neither the teachers nor the Headmaster could do anything about it."**

**By this point Madam Umbridge was looking decidedly uncomfortable, fiddling nervously with the hem of her garishly pink tweed cape. In an attempt to escape justice she declared that she has a right to legal representation – no doubt hoping to delay the trial long enough to make an escape – but Madam Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, had wisely assigned a Ministry barrister to present the defense. While a capable barrister, Madam Umbridge's guilt was clear for the court to see, and she was sentenced to life in Azkaban with a unanimous vote by the Wizengamot, a feat that has not been achieved in over a century. The shrew was led kicking and screaming from the courtroom, each person present heaving a sigh of relief at seeing the torturess safely away from our children.**

**Madam Augusta Longbottom, who was soon after elected permanent Chief Warlock to replace Dumbledore, then announced a vote of No Confidence for Minister Fudge, again called for by Lord Potter-Black. **

"**We have just completed the trial for Madam Umbridge, on whom the Wizengamot voted unanimously for lifelong incarceration," Lord Potter-Black stood to say. "I would like to point out that Madam Umbridge was until just a few minutes ago the Chief Undersecretary to the Minister, as well as a Hogwarts Inquisitor and Professor that the Minister himself set in place. I argue that Minister Fudge knew not the specifics, but the general methods that Madam Umbridge would use, and as such not only condoned, but enabled abuse of power, abuse of rank, abuse of trust, ad hominem abuse and defamation, along with several other charges that were leveled against Madam Umbridge. I put forward that Minister Fudge himself be charged with abuse of authority, incompetence, character assassination, corruption and bribery, and call for a vote of No Confidence."**

**No member of the Wizengamot dared speak up against such forceful words (although Lords Liechtenstein and Jecht appeared less than pleased), and within short order Fudge was Minister no longer. **

**This reporter couldn't help but notice that many Lords previously tried as Death Eaters but released for various reasons, including claiming to be victims of the Imperius curse, were not present. Coincidence? During my brief visit to the Ministry I asked select people for their opinions on the current situation, and heard rumors that Madam Bones had taken quick action to capture as many Death Eaters as possible following You-Know-Who's defeat. According to my source the Head of the DMLE questioned her entire department under Veritaserum to weed out the followers of the late Dark Lord – one of which was the Head Auror, Rufus Scrimgeour. Did the woman, now elected interim Minister by the Wizengamot, also manage to capture Death Eaters outside her department for trial? This reporter managed to have a quick word with the new interim Minister after the Wizengamot session.**

"**Several members of Voldemort's Inner Circle are already in Ministry holding cells," the woman affirmed, a competent, no-nonsense air surrounding her. She was recommended for the post of interim Minister by Lord Potter-Black himself, and intends to run for Minister once the elections take place. "I have also been forwarded a list of marked Death Eaters by the goblins, and the DMLE, now under the heading of Kingsley Shacklebolt, has already started to bring them in for trials. Each trial will be held individually, as Lord Potter-Black has expressed an interest in sitting in on all of the trials."**

**Why is that, you may wonder? According to interim Minister Bones it is because Lord Potter-Black does not believe all Death Eaters to be true Death Eaters. "A perfect example is Severus Snape," Madam Bones says, to this reporter's delight. Much speculation has arisen at the declaration that the Potions Master was a spy for the Light. "When he was a freshly graduated student Snape was lured into joining the Death Eaters with promises of a Potions Mastery. A young man from a poor background, he jumped at the chance to make his dreams come true, believing the group he was joining to be a group of Slytherin alumni. He only discovered the true motives of the Death Eaters when it was already too late, and soon after turned spy for the Light, carefully working his way through Death Eater ranks until he was a member of the Inner Circle and privy to Voldemort's most important plans. He was the one who ensured that the Potters went into hiding – a plan that had disastrous results for the Potter family but extremely beneficial results for the rest of the wizarding world."**

**Were there other spies in the Death Eater ranks? "Not that we know of," Madam Bones replies promptly, "but there may well be other Death Eaters who were tricked, coerced, or even blackmailed into joining the Death Eaters. We wish to see justice carried out, and don't intend to simply toss anyone with a Dark Mark into Azkaban. True Death Eaters will soon find themselves locked up, but victims will be supported by both the Ministry and Lord Potter-Black himself."**

**Curious about these statements, I managed to have a quick word with Lord Potter-Black. The figure he cut in the purple Wizengamot robes was no less impressive than the one he had presented at the press conference, and he greeted me by my first name when I approached him. **

"**I have the full list of Death Eaters," he told me gravely when I asked about the upcoming trials. "There are names on there that I had not expected to see, names of good people who I would never have guessed were Death Eaters. I believe that they were most likely not true Death Eaters, but only a trial under Veritaserum will clear up my – and the public's – doubts. Each Death Eater will receive a fair trial, and a just sentence. The trials, and their results, will be made public, and I hope that tricked or coerced Death Eaters will be spared the stigma associated with the tattoo on their arm." The young Lord also expresses concern over the Death Eaters' children. "They are not to blame for their parents' mistakes," he says. "Lucius Malfoy, for example, was Voldemort's right hand man, but his son, Draco Malfoy, is not even sixteen years old yet. He grew up surrounded by very specific views and has not had the chance to learn about other ones; a chance that I hope he will have in the future. His mother, Narcissa Malfoy, will be rejoining the Black family under the specification that she learn about Muggle culture, and I hope that Draco will accept the same offer."**

**This reporter, for one, is very interested in the future developments Lord Potter-Black will bring about. Can anyone doubt that he has done much to improve our society these past few days? I look forward to hearing your opinions.**

"He's bringing Malfoy into the Black family?" was Ron's disbelieving remark. Hermione was tempted to ask whether that _really_ was the most important part of the article, but bit her tongue.

"It makes sense to me," Harry responded pensively, and both Ron and Hermione turned to him with surprised looks. "I mean, he is right that Malfoy hasn't learned any other opinions than his father's – I mean, he's forever hiding behind his father's power, isn't he?" he said defensively, and Hermione nodded encouragingly. "We all know that right now he's as good as a Death Eater – he definitely would have joined Voldemort right out of Hogwarts – but who knows? Maybe Hames can change him. It's worth a try at least, no?"

Ron seemed unconvinced. "Well, at least Hames can keep him in line as Head of House Black," he muttered.

"I'm more interested in the implications about the Death Eaters," Hermione said, frowning slightly. "I mean, even the Head Auror was an unmarked Death Eater! I wonder how the goblins got a list of marked Death Eaters? Though I suppose that means we won't know who the unmarked ones are unless everyone in Britain is questioned under Veritaserum, but since that's not about to happen I guess the best we can hope for is that they stay low and don't cause any trouble…"

Ron seemed unconcerned, but Harry seemed to turn it over in his mind. "There will definitely be resistance," Ron said as he served himself another helping of eggs, "but Hames has got enough political power at the moment that they're unlikely to try anything. All the powerful political players are either Death Eaters or on Hames's side already, after all."

"What about the two Lords Skeeter mentioned?" Hermione asked the lone Pureblood in their group. "Liechtenstein and Jecht?"

Ron shrugged and speared a sausage. "No clue, but they can't be very important if we've never heard of them, eh?"

Harry hummed in agreement, but appeared slightly concerned anyway.

"At least assassination attempts are unlikely to succeed," Hermione said pensively as she checked out the second page of the Prophet. "Between Dobby, Professor Snape, and Harry's own skills, I don't think anything anyone could try would work. If anyone even makes the attempt – his reputation is pretty fearsome since he killed Voldemort. Have you two heard the stories about the amazing duel that apparently took place even though Hames said to the press that all it took was a cutting curse?"

"Yeah," Harry grinned wryly, already very familiar with how rumors worked. "The one I like best is the one where Professor Snape somehow holds off the entire Inner Circle while Hames battles it out with Voldemort, if only because it's funny to see the looks Professor Snape gets now," he snickered.

Hermione laughed. "And he always glares back – I think he really hates the attention," she grinned. "I have to say, though, the story I like best is the one where it's this pissing match – the long, drawn-out verbal fight that culminates in both of them casting at the same time and Harry's simple cutting curse overpowering Voldemort's killing curse."

"Nah, you're both wrong," Ron said through a mouthful of bread. "The best one is definitely where You-Know-Who keeps hitting Hames with killing curses and none of them work, and eventually Hames gets fed up and kills You-Know-Who with a first-year curse as a final insult."

"Rumors are pretty fun when they're not about me," Harry grinned. "Even if technically they are." Ron nodded wisely, and Hermione hid her smile behind her newspaper.

A/N: That's it for now! See you again in September~ Enjoy the rest of August!


	56. Chapter 56

CHAPTER FIFTY SIX:

"Alright," Harry said cheerfully to his two house elf companions, "Let's go figure out the designs for the Potter and Black house elf uniforms!" Dobby was bouncing around beaming, he was so excited, while Winky seemed rather torn. As far as Harry could tell, she wanted to look like a respectable house elf serving her family diligently, but also didn't want to part with her towel. _Let's see if we can change that,_ Harry grinned.

"Dobby, if you would?" he held out his hand to his small friend, and with a pop he found himself in a small store. A moment later a short woman walked out of the back room with a bolt of fabric over her arm.

"Misses Tinkles!" Dobby exclaimed, releasing Harry's hand and bounding forward two steps. "Dobby is bringing Master Harry to make elf clothing!"

The woman blinked, then a delighted smile split her face. "Why Dobby, that's wonderful! It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Potter-Black," she smiled at her newest customer. "I am Madam Tinkleweather, children's tailor. Do I understand correctly that you are here to dress your house elves?"

"That's right," Harry smiled back, finding this woman instantly likeable. "Dobby is a Potter elf, and Winky here is a Black elf; I have come so that we can discuss some uniforms for them."

"We is not getting clothes, we is getting respectable!" Dobby cried out excitedly, and Madam Tinkleweather smiled happily at him.

"A fine decision, elfling," she commended, and Harry noticed how Winky stood that little bit straighter. _Perhaps this will be easier than I thought._

"Why don't you three follow me into the back and we'll discuss fabrics and styles," the woman said cheerfully, flicking her wand to flip the sign in the window to read 'Closed'. "I prefer not to be disturbed when working on private commissions," she confided in them, slipping her wand back into a pocket of her apron. "Come, come!"

They followed the madam into the back room, where rolls and rolls of fabric were stacked against the walls, there were drawers filled with ribbons, buttons and other odds and ends, a file cabinet, "for my customers' measurements and orders," the tailor elaborated, a small desk along one wall covered in sketched-on papers, and one very large rectangular table in the middle of the room.

"Alright, grab a chair, each of you," the woman dropped the bolt of fabric she had been carrying onto the wide table and retrieved some paper and pencils from under the table. "You too, Winky," she ordered gently when she saw that Dobby had bounded up onto one of the chairs but the other house elf had remained standing uncertainly behind her master. Winky cast an unsure look at Harry and only clambered onto a chair when he gave her a slight nod.

"Right," Madam Tinkleweather said, pulling up another chair and eying the house elves. "I'll get your elves' measurements later; I think that the first step is to decide on colors and fabrics for their uniforms. I assume that you will want them to be dressed in their House colors?"

"That's what I was thinking," Harry agreed. "The Potter colors are rather Gryffindor; deep red and pale gold. The Black colors are purple and silver, and I would like the House's crest on the respective outfits."

"Hmm, yes," the woman narrowed her eyes slightly as she considered the house elves. "The rich, dark colors will suit them well, but silver and pale gold won't go very well with their skin colors, so I would suggest we limit those to the details – such as buttons and piping." Harry had no idea what piping was but nodded anyway. Madam Tinkleweather pulled a piece of paper closer and picked up a pencil. "I trust you will not mind if I take some inspiration from the Muggle world?"

"Not at all," Harry said in surprise. "In fact, I would very much appreciate it. What lines are you thinking along?"

"Well," the woman was already sketching with deft, swift strokes, "I was thinking of something along the lines of a maid outfit for Winky and a bellhop costume for Dobby." The quick glance she shot him suggested that she didn't believe he had any idea what either were. "Typically, the tasks of a maid are to clean and cook and those of a bellhop to carry luggage, but it hardly matters when no pureblood knows what either is, don't you agree?"

Harry chuckled uncertainly – he had grown up in the Muggle world and yet never heard of a bellhop before. A maid, yes, but he had no idea what their uniform looked like. The woman shot him an amused look and continued sketching.

"Here," she slid the paper over to him, tapping first one drawing, then the other with the end of her pencil. "A little dress for Winky, and a smart jacket and trousers for Dobby. The hat on Dobby's head is simple whim – true bellhops wear them."

"I think it looks rather good, wouldn't you agree?" Harry turned to Dobby, who craned his neck to see. Once the house elf spied the quick sketch of himself sporting a flat round hat his eyes grew wide.

"Dobby is loving it!" he cried excitedly. "Can Dobby be wearing such a hat, Master Harry?" Harry couldn't help but laugh at the entreating look the house elf turned on him.

"If Madam Tinkleweather can supply us with such a hat in your size, then absolutely! Winky, what do you think of the dress?"

Winky leaned closer hesitantly, then froze when she caught sight of the little sketch of herself in a frilly little dress. "Oh," she breathed, wide-eyed. Harry smiled over at Madam Tinkleweather, who looked approving that he had asked his house elves for their opinions.

"I think these are great starting ideas," he said happily. The tailor simply nodded and sketched out a few variations on collars and sleeves.

"Dobby, Winky – what do you think about gloves?" she asked without looking up. "Especially for bellhops it isn't uncommon to wear gloves, and it lends a more professional appearance, but house elves use their magic by snapping their fingers, no?"

"Is true that house elves often snap," Winky replied, to Harry's surprise, "but is only a gesture – sound is just being satisfying." Dobby nodded happily, and Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hey, if I could do magic by snapping I'd do it as well!" he declared. Winky looked taken aback, but Dobby just beamed at his master.

"Have either of you ever tried on gloves before?" the tailor asked then, and both elves shook their heads with synchronized 'no's. "Well, I'll whip up some for you to try on once I have your measurements, and then you can decide whether you want to wear them or not, alright?" the woman smiled kindly at the small people, and they looked rather excited.

"Alright – fabrics." Madam Tinkleweather stood up and walked over to one of the walls, pushing around rolls of fabric until she found the one she was looking for. "All of you come over here and feel this for me, would you? Winky, Dobby, your opinions are important, since it's the fabric you and other house elves will be wearing. How does it feel? Smooth, scratchy? Too heavy? Too thin? I need your opinions."

And thus began the search for the right fabrics and matching colors, a look through Madam Tinkleweather's drawers for appropriate buttons and ribbons, measurements of the elves' bodies, and recommendations for a milliner and shoe crafter that would perhaps be willing to create things for a house elf. It was a very excited trio that left the tailor's store.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I didn't want to start posting again until I had at least a few chapters written up, and it looks like the near future is going to be pretty busy, but hopefully I can return to the daily upload schedule now ;) Thank you all for your patience :)))  
I actually work with clothing (I studied fashion design), so this chapter was very satisfying to me! I made sketches, too; I ended up with matching 'bellhop' outfits and matching maid/butler outfits. Just gotta scan and upload them for you…


	57. Chapter 57

CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN:

When Harry returned to Hogwarts it was to find a message from Amelia waiting for him. _The Ministry must be in complete chaos right now,_ Harry thought in disbelief when he read that all the Death Eaters had been apprehended and placed in holding cells. Frankly, he would have combed through the Ministry first, to find sympathizers and clean up the corruption, but he should have expected her methods to be different from his.

_Besides, questioning people under Veritaserum in such a way is probably illegal, _he admitted grudgingly. _…If they even had enough Veritaserum for it. But hey, as long as there's enough for the Death Eater trials it's fine, right? Maybe Severus knows where the Ministry gets their Veritaserum from… Are there licensed vendors, or Potions Masters who only brew for the Ministry?_

With a small shake to clear his head, Harry set the parchment down again. The Death Eater trials would start the next day, and he wasn't prepared yet.

"Off to Gringotts," he muttered. It was time to find out just what he had gotten when he had invoked right of conquest.

OoOoO

Severus looked up when the door to his quarters slid aside, and frowned slightly at the dazed look of his lover.

"What is the matter?" he asked, giving the younger man a quick one-over to check for injuries.

"Well," Harry began, walking over to the couch and sitting down heavily, "I went to Gringotts today to find out what I had received by right of conquest…" Words failing him, he simply handed Severus the roll of parchment he held.

"…I see," Severus eventually said, his voice somewhat faint. "It was to be expected, no? You were aware of the Malfoys' wealth, and despite their claims to the opposite they never were the richest Purebloods in Britain…"

"Severus, no amount of foreknowledge could have prepared me for that sum of money," Harry pointed out. "And I won't even get started on the items and properties! I thought I was going to get what was in their vaults, and perhaps their houses, but I claimed absolutely everything these people owned! Investments, shops, furniture, heirlooms, manors and everything in them! It's crazy!"

"It is the way of the wizarding world," Severus said levelly, and Harry smiled wryly.

"Well, it's going to give me one hell of a headache."

Severus blinked at that, lowering the parchment. "Why- ah. The children?"

"The innocents, Severus," Harry agreed wearily. "I hadn't wanted this kind of responsibility, but now I am forced to decide what to do with the money. Whether to let them live in their own houses and give their possessions back. I even legally own their clothing; did you know that? If I wanted to, I could kick them out of their own houses without a knut or even a shirt to their names! It's insane! Nobody should have that much power over someone," he said fervently.

"I agree," Severus inclined his head. "And yet I had thought that you had come up with a plan for this case?"

Harry deflated. "Well, sort of… I had decided that as long as the innocents agree to being educated about the Muggle world they would be given a trust vault and be able to continue living in their current home, and that if they refused they would have to fend for themselves. But now, if someone refuses my terms, does that mean that they'll have to leave without anything? They'll lose any job they currently hold, and you know it! They would have no choice! I'd be no better than Voldemort!"

Severus laid a calming hand on Harry's knee. "Voldemort would never have had these thoughts," he said quietly. "You are far better than him."

"But I'm still taking away their free will," Harry said, sounding younger than Severus had ever heard him before.

"No," Severus replied. "Give them the choice, and tell them that should they refuse they will be able to sell their house and take any material goods within that house with them. I doubt many buyers will be interested in the houses, being Death Eater domiciles," Severus grimaced, "but you have enough funds to buy them off them for a reasonable price. Whether they would ever be able to hold a job after the trials is questionable, but having enough furniture to sell should give them a fair amount of money, should they figure out how to sell it in the Muggle world." He sounded skeptical at the chances of that happening.

"What about the children?" Harry asked, worrying his lip. "If the parents decide not to take my offer, they take away that chance from the children as well, and it's they who will grow up with resentment…"

"Harry," Severus said gently, reaching out a hand to cup his lover's cheek. "That is not your worry. A parent is morally obligated to ensure their children's' best possible future – whether they do so or not is not yours to decide. Worry about the children that do not have parents to support them."

A small smile alit Harry's face as he leaned into Severus's cold hand. "That's actually dealt with," he said. "The children that don't have magical family to go to will be under Narcissa Black's care in the Black mansion – along with several house elves and at least one Muggleborn or squib, of course – and each will receive a trust vault in their name. Death Eater children that are already of legal age but whose vaults I received will either get the same deal as the older innocents or a vault with a slightly higher sum than the children, and a word to their employer, should they have one, that they not be fired because of the parents' mistakes. I don't know if it'll be enough, but…"

"That sounds fine," Severus soothed him promptly. "If they are independent and bright, then it will not be a problem." In his experience, however, Pureblood children grew up coasting on their forefathers' laurels, and rarely learned to hold a paying job. Most would accept Harry's terms, or come crawling back a year later asking to be offered the same terms again.

"Really?" Harry bit his lip, sighing when Severus drew him in to his side.

"Really," the man reassured him. He was interested in how things would play out, but feared that it would lead to heartache for his younger partner. Setting the parchment aside – he would worry about his lover being the richest man on earth later – he gathered Harry into a proper hug. Tomorrow would come soon enough.

OoOoO

Meanwhile a Hogwarts student lingered outside her Head of House's door, unsure whether to ask for help or not. The trials would be public, no doubt, but it would tarnish their good name – nobody knew her parents were Death Eaters, and she knew, she _knew_ that they were forced into it.

_You don't even know that they've been discovered, _she argued with herself. _Maybe they weren't on the list Lord Potter-Black mentioned in the Daily Prophet article. Going for help now would only ensure that they get a trial, and you know that the Ministry is likely to simply toss all Death Eaters into Azkaban!_ She shuddered at the thought of her parents in that horrible place and wrapped her arms around herself for comfort, though even the warm wool of her cloak couldn't keep away the chill she felt.

_But what will happen to us if they're gone?_ She bit her lip. _Nobody's going to care for the Death Eater brats, nobody! Lord Potter-Black may say that we're not to blame for our parents' mistakes, but those are just pretty words; any politician would have said them._

_Wait until the trial,_ another part of her brain cautioned. _No need to ask someone for help and make you beholden to them when you don't even know yet whether help will be necessary. _

_But I need to get the help before the others,_ she argued back. _Once the trials begin everyone will be clamoring for help, and those who don't have any other family to turn to will go to our Heads of Houses first. I have to ensure that I don't get there too late! _

The internal debate continued for several seconds longer before, squeezing her eyes shut, she reached out a quivering hand to knock on the wooden door before her.

A/N: Yep, the 'money and children' topic again! To refresh your memories and simply because it weighs very heavily on Harry's mind.  
**ALSO!** You can now view the house elf outfits on my deviantart gallery; I'm APersonalCharm. Fanfiction won't let me post the link, but I hope you can find me anyway! My gallery is so out-of-date, but don't mind that. Anyhow, I hope the drawings give you a better idea of what their outfits will look like! Matching bellhop and matching maid/butler outfits – aren't they cute?


	58. Chapter 58

CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT:

Severus and Harry were mulling over their thoughts in silence, still wrapped in an embrace when a loud knocking noise echoed through the quarters.

"One of my snakes needs me," Severus immediately straightened, giving Harry an apologetic kiss as he pushed the man upright.

"I'll just stay here, shall I?"

"That would perhaps be for the best," Severus agreed wryly. "Considering this morning's Prophet, I think we can assume that it will be one of the Death Eater children seeking counsel. Perhaps Draco seeking advice on whether to join the Black family alongside his mother," he rolled his eyes. "As if the boy has a choice."

A low chuckle followed him as he swept out the door, heading directly for his office. It was connected to the Potions classroom, but had a separate door somewhat out of the way, upon which his students could knock should they need him. The sound would echo in his private quarters – he was rarely in his office, after all – or in the Potions classroom.

Rounding the corner, he stopped in surprise. "Miss Greengrass?"

The girl turned jerkily, and it took him but a moment to realize that his student was close to tears. Her entire frame was quivering, her arms wrapped around herself and her expression as torn as he had ever witnessed on one of his snakes' faces. Knowing that this was something best discussed in a private and safe location, he gestured for her to follow him, silently leading the way back to his quarters.

"Miss Greengrass and I require entrance," he informed Medusa lowly, hoping that the snake would echo his words and warn Harry. When the statue slid aside however he realized that his warning hadn't been echoed.

"Back already?" Harry called out, leaning back to look at the entrance. "I guess it wasn't Draco, then, huh?" His chuckles tapered off when he caught sight of the student behind his lover.

"Oh. Sorry. I'll just, uh, go somewhere else then, shall I?"

"It is up to Miss Greengrass," Severus said levelly, smirking at Harry's lack of composure. "However, you could procure us a cup of tea."

"Sure," Harry's lips twitched as he stood, brushing off invisible lint from his pants. Severus suddenly wondered how the man felt, having both his current and previous lover in the same room. Especially when the one didn't even know him yet.

"Please, have a seat," Severus said to his teenage companion. "Lord Potter-Black will get out of our hair as soon as we have a warm drink in our hands, I assure you."

"Lord Potter-Black?" his lover's voice drifted over from the small kitchen. "God, that sounds terrible coming from you. Can't you just call me Harry as usual?"

"It may have escaped your notice," Severus said drily, "but I am currently acting in my role of Head of House. Formality is expected."

They heard a sigh, then the young man reappeared, a tea set levitated before him. "Yeah, well, you know how I feel about formality," Harry grinned wryly at him, then looked at the silent student and shrugged. "Anyhow," he carefully placed the tea set on the table, "I'll just go into another room, then. Feel free to use privacy charms if you want."

The other two watched the young man turn and head towards the bedroom, parchment and a book in hand. Then:

"Lord Potter-Black?"

Harry froze as if struck – but for just a second before he turned smoothly. Severus doubted that Miss Greengrass had noticed, but he knew how hard it must be for Harry to hear his dead wife's voice once more. That she was using his formal title probably simply added to the hurt.

"I-" Daphne hesitated, unsure how to phrase the question she needed to ask. Deciding that a former Gryffindor would surely miss her lack of subtlety, she asked quietly, "Are my parents on the list of Death Eaters?"

Harry's face didn't change, but suddenly Severus had a feeling of deep sadness. "They are."

"They're not guilty!" Daphne exclaimed desperately, pushing herself to her feet and looking at him helplessly. "They're not!"

"Daphne," Harry said in an even voice, and the use of her first name stopped the girl cold. "The Ministry can't know that for sure until the day of the trial – but if it reassures you at all, I don't believe them to be true Death Eaters either. If they receive any sentence for the simple crime of carrying Voldemort's," she flinched, "brand, then it should be a minor one; and I assure you that I will personally ensure that no child is in need while their parents are incapable of caring for them."

"What do you mean?" Daphne asked warily, trying to hide the apprehension she felt at being at the mercy of a man she knew nothing about. Somehow Harry knew not to step any closer.

"I will be opening a… well, a sort of orphanage, if you will," at her shudder he nodded wryly, "Yes, it needs a better term, doesn't it? At any rate, it'll be a place for the children of Death Eaters who were incarcerated, either for the short-term or the long one. Each child will have a trust fund at Gringotts that only they and I can access, and each child will have their Hogwarts tuition paid. Younger children will potentially have tutors, as will the older children during holidays, if they feel like studying more." He chuckled slightly, knowing that holiday tutors would appeal to Daphne, but perhaps not so much to other children. "I will be the head of the home, and Narcissa Black will be the main person in charge. There will also be a Muggleborn or squib – I need to find one asap, since the trials will be starting tomorrow," he said in an aside to Severus, "and all the children will learn about Muggle culture," he continued. "No need to let old prejudices run rampant blindly; if someone decides to continue to hate Muggles even once they know all about them, then it's their own choice, but hate bred of ignorance should have no place in this society."

"What about the Death Eaters who are innocent?" Daphne insisted, her demeanor far more controlled than before. "Will the Ministry take our hard-earned money?" Harry could tell how incensed the thought made her, and sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"No, er, I'm afraid that I, well…" he trailed off and shot Severus a pleading look.

"He is attempting to say that he claimed the vaults and possessions of all Death Eaters by right of conquest upon Voldemort's death," Severus said drily. "There really is no need to feel so guilty over it, Harry," he stated as he rose. "It was a sound strategy. Would you have left the Malfoys with all their wealth?" he pinned his student with a sharp gaze as she opened her mouth to protest, and she snapped it shut. "Your parents, should they go free, will be given a choice. Lose all their money and possessions… or agree to learn about the Muggle world."

He gave her a moment for that to sink in, then said agreeably, "An easy choice, is it not? Learn a bit of culture, a bit of history, and you can continue to live as you had before-"

Harry cleared his throat slightly, and smiled sheepishly when Severus interrupted himself. "Well, not _quite_ as before… I mean, can you imagine giving the Parkinsons back everything they had? They're nearly as rich as the Malfoys, and that's saying something! I was thinking of giving each Death Eater, once they're declared innocent or released from Azkaban, the same amount of money. Each family can choose one of their properties to live in – of which I assume almost all to choose their current home – and I would pay a monthly sum into the new vaults. The sum would be one high enough to live on, obviously, but one that encourages the person to get a paying job."

"But my parents _have_ a job!" Daphne exclaimed, looking worried. "If people know that they were marked as Death Eaters, then nobody will buy anything, and we'll have no business!"

"Yeah," Harry grimaced, "that's the only problem I have with the trials being public. I haven't quite figured out yet how to deal with that…"

"Miss Greengrass. Sit." Severus ordered, seeing that she was close to losing control of her temper. "Come join us, Harry," he said as he sank back into his armchair. Once they were all seated, he turned to his student. "Your parents are traders, are they not? Merchants?"

"Yes, sir," Daphne answered warily, not sure where this would go.

"What do they sell?"

"Mainly magical wood, thread, cloth, and other things needed to create magical items, sir," she replied promptly.

"And they are good at it?" She bristled at the inquiry.

"Several tailors only accept fabric from them, and Ollivander gets many of the wooden blanks for his wands from my parents!" she informed her professor indignantly.

"Then I would not worry," Severus brushed off her concern. "Ollivander does what he wants, anyhow, and a good word from Lord Potter-Black or Minister Bones is all that will be needed to reassure other customers that there is nothing illegal or even morally wrong with purchasing items from the Greengrass business. And I assure you that unless something unexpected happens during their trials, the Minister will be happy to put in a good word for them. The objective is not to hurt hardworking citizens, after all – it is to ensure peace." At her unsure look he sighed. "You have my word that you and your sister, at least, will not suffer due to the upcoming trials."

"Thank you, Professor," she said quietly, bowing her head.

Severus gave her a moment before saying briskly, "Now I believe it is nearly curfew, and past time for you to return to the Slytherin dorms. Do you require company?" At her immediate negation he inclined his head. "Then I wish you a good night. Do not forget about the essay due on Friday."

"No, sir. Good night." With that she left, Harry following the sight of her dirty blond hair until she stepped out of sight. Then he sighed, meeting Severus's eyes with a wry smile.

"I think I'm about ready for bed," he said, getting to his feet and turning slightly towards the bedroom. "Are you going to stay up a bit longer?"

"I believe I will join you," Severus stood as well and walked over to his shorter lover. "Are you all right?" he asked softly, reaching out a hand to stroke Harry's hair back out of his eyes. "It cannot have been easy to sit with your former wife…"

"No," Harry smiled sadly, moving in for a hug. "But that wasn't my wife. Daphne Potter-Black was a very different person from the teenager you know, Severus."

"I do not doubt it," he replied, "and yet in your timeline you began dating her not long from now."

"Not long in terms of time, perhaps…" Harry conceded. "But much longer in terms of experience. I was never able to hear her speak about her parents in present tense."

"I see," Severus said, and he did. Losing one's parents could profoundly change a person, especially when they were as young as Daphne Greengrass. It was entirely possible that this Daphne would never be the Daphne Harry had loved.

"Come," he said lowly, drawing Harry towards the bedroom. _She may not love you, but I will._

A/N: There we go! Did anyone expect her parents to be Death Eaters? Harry certainly didn't! Only a fair trial will clear up whether or not they were true Death Eaters...


	59. Chapter 59

CHAPTER FIFTY NINE:

"Ah, Harry," Amelia greeted him when he arrived at the Ministry the next day. "You're looking well."

"Thanks, Amelia," Harry smiled, neglecting to mention that it was only due to a Dreamless Sleep potion and two thorough rounds of sex with Severus. "You look tired," he pointed out instead, pitching his voice low to keep others from overhearing. "Late nights?"

Amelia simply smiled expressively in answer, and Harry grimaced slightly. "Sorry about that."

"Nothing to be sorry for," she said promptly. "I would be just as busy were I still at my old post..." Harry followed her gaze and caught a glimpse of Kingsley as the man hurried off to another location.

"I see what you mean," he grinned.

Amelia sighed, then straightened and tugged on her robes. "Shall we?"

"Let's," Harry agreed, and together they walked into the courtroom, ready for the first trial of the day.

OoOoO

"Ughhhhh," Harry groaned as he collapsed on their bed that evening.

"Long day?" Severus asked mildly as he sat down next to his lover and began kneading his shoulders. A more satisfied groan was his response before Harry replied to his question.

"They're doing the more important Death Eater trials first, and they were all sentenced to Azkaban," Harry mumbled into the sheets. "No children, so I don't have to worry about that yet, at least. It just drags on and on and on..."

Severus hummed, digging his thumbs into a particularly tense knot and ignoring Harry's weak sound of protest. "Were the trials brief, or extended?" he asked. "How many took place today?"

"Four," Harry replied, yawning widely. "And they weren't long, just... repetitive."

"I see. There will be several trials a day for the foreseeable future, then?"

"Yeah," the young Lord groaned. "I don't think I'll have much free time for the next few weeks," he buried his face in the sheets.

"What about Dumbledore?" Severus asked, immediately seeing Harry's dilemma.

"I don't know," Harry said grumpily. "I'll have to discuss it with Amelia. I really want him to have a trial, but he should die in just over two weeks and the Death Eater trials are more important..."

Severus made a noncommittal sound.

"No?" Harry turned his head to look up at Severus out of the corner of his eye.

"I disagree," Severus admitted. "The Death Eater trials can wait, as they are already being held in cells, but with only two weeks left it is imperative to deal with Dumbledore soon. What is the use of dealing with the Dark when the Light is left looking blameless?"

"True," Harry sighed, "but if we expose that now, won't it lead to distrust from the people?"

"Not for the Ministry," Severus argued, his kneading more absent-minded now. "If anything, it should put the people's faith in Minister Bones, while earning you distrust as the new Light Lord."

The younger man grimaced. "I don't want to be a Light Lord."

"Then it should not matter to you," Severus shrugged. "You have no official role, and intend to leave Britain for a time once things have calmed anyway, so it will not affect you overly much. Is it not a good thing, to bring down both Light and Dark and lead the way to a more open-minded and critical society?"

Harry sighed and sat up, pulling Severus closer. "I'll talk to Amelia tomorrow."

OoOoO

"Amelia," a corporeal Patronus spoke to her in Harry's voice. "Do you have some time before tomorrow's first trial? There's something I need to discuss with you." The voice paused for a moment, and Amelia could have sworn the stag smiled at her. "Try to get a decent night's sleep tonight, huh? I can offer you some Dreamless Sleep if you don't have any. See you tomorrow!" With that the luminescent stag faded out of sight, leaving Amelia smiling wryly.

"So that's why he looked rested," she acknowledged, shaking her head. "But Dreamless Sleep only helps when you have the time to sleep," Amelia said grumpily, shooting her desk a dark look. Pulling out her wand, Amelia conjured her own patronus, sending it off with a message that she could free up a half hour before the first trial. After all, knowing the time traveler, the discussion could be both long - and very important.

OoOoO

Meanwhile Hermione was trying to focus on her homework, but kept losing focus. Eventually she gave up and closed her books, sighing in exasperation. "I think I'll go to bed early tonight," she told the boys.

"Alright," Harry said in surprise, blinking up at her with a curious expression.

"G'night," Ron said absently, not looking up from his Divination homework. "Oy, Harry, d'you think Mars stands for war or hate here?"

Harry peered over at Ron's notes, then shrugged. "Dunno. Hate?"

With a snort Hermione walked away, having decided long before that discussing Divination with them was a lost cause. Why they didn't simply drop the subject was beyond her, but she supposed wasting their time was their choice to make.

Making her way up the steps to the girls' dorm, she paused and looked back down into the common room. It was busy, as always, but her eyes fell easily on her two friends, the other part of their trio, poring over their textbooks and occasionally asking the other for advice. It was with a troubled expression that Hermione turned and walked the rest of the way to her room.

Only once she was lying in bed did she fully turn her mind to the topic that had been distracting her all day. _Ron._ Her thoughts were convoluted on this point, unsure of her feelings for him and his thoughts about her. "I like him," she mouthed, trying out the words. _Do I?_

Sighing, she sat up and grabbed a notebook and pen. Opening it to a blank page, she wrote down 'pros' and 'cons', feeling slightly guilty for trying to organize an emotional issue into facts.

_Pros,_ she considered. **Close friend**, Hermione wrote. Then she paused. _What else?_ Her mind searched for a moment, then she bit her lip. _Okay, subpoints of 'close friend'. _**Knows my preferences and habits. Respects my interests. **_Really?_ she wondered. _Does he? Well, he acknowledges that different people are interested in different subjects, but he's always considered me at least slightly mad for my interests... _She could vividly remember several times he had called her mad after expressing a keen interest in Arithmancy, or shaking his head in disbelief when she wasn't interested in Quidditch. _Does he really respect my interests?_

It was with a heavy heart that she crossed out 'respects my interests'. _Can I date someone who doesn't respect what I like?_ In her heart she knew the answer was no. _Admit it, Hermione,_ an inner voice groused. _You want a partner with whom who can share your interests, not one who simply tolerates them._

And there was the crux of the matter. She was somehow attracted to Ron, wanted him as a boyfriend, longed for the closeness she saw among other couples – but while she might want it now, intellectually she knew that they would not, could not last as a couple.

_What about in the short term?_ she thought obstinately. _Couldn't we just be together for a year? Maybe for the rest of Hogwarts?_ Even as she insisted on thinking it over she knew that to do that was a sure way to ruin their friendship, and had a high chance of alienating Harry as well. After all, who would want to be the third wheel?

_What about when he and Greengrass get together? It'll be only Ron and me then... _Even so, she knew that getting together would be a bad idea. And it would take some time to get Harry and Greengrass together, she was sure about that. The thought crossed her mind that they might not even work together anymore now that Hames had changed things, but she decided to worry about that at a later date. If they didn't work out, then that's how it was, but she would at least make sure that they had the chance to decide that for themselves.

_What makes you think that you can play matchmaker when you can't even get a boyfriend of your own? _She scowled at the traitorous thought and shut the notebook in a huff, lying back down again. _I'll get one,_ she thought obstinately. _Just maybe not right now._

A/N: Um... I had completely forgotten that at this point in the 5th book, Harry was dating Cho. Oops? It seems that they went on a date on Valentine's Day, which was about a week before future Harry AKA Hames returned to the past, and by this point in the story about three weeks have passed - there's no way Cho would let him ignore her for that long, or that he wouldn't think of her. Now the question is whether to pretend there was some romantic stuff going on in the background that hasn't been mentioned, or just say that they never were together in my story... I think I'll go for the latter. It's all complicated enough without throwing in a tearful, ignored Cho! I'll just say that she's now dating Roger Davies, and Harry never got past the 'unrequited crush' stage. Oof!


	60. Chapter 60

CHAPTER SIXTY:

"What's their problem?" Harry hissed as the trio made their way to breakfast. "Just because of that stupid Witch Weekly article on Hames they all think I'll be more interested in them?"

Hermione sighed, silently agreeing with him that a lot of teenage girls didn't use their brains enough. They had been almost physically hanging on him ever since that article was published, and it was grating on Harry's nerves – and hers, she admitted. _Ron's, too,_ she added mentally when he scowled fiercely at the group of girls waiting for Harry in front of the Great Hall.

"Alright, everyone shove off!" he groused, leading the way into the hall, Hermione taking up the back and Harry in the middle.

"We're like a protective detail," she muttered wryly, and Harry shot her a crooked grin.

"The best protective detail ever," he agreed, and she shook her head with a grin.

"We'd need two more people for the sides," she pointed out as Harry swerved to avoid a hand that had reached out to grab him, and he scowled. "Maybe we should get the DA onto it," Hermione grinned, and he grimaced. They both knew that the DA would help out, but Harry resented having that kind of authority. "I'm sure Neville would make a great bodyguard," she added as they reached the Gryffindor table.

"Wha-?" Neville choked, his drink going down the wrong way and leaving him coughing.

"I agree," Ron grinned, pounding the other boy on the back enthusiastically. "Remember our first year, when Hermione had to body bind you to let us through? That's some serious dedication there."

Harry nodded with an identical grin as he slid into his seat. "Neville may not be a leader, but he's definitely not a follower! 'The herbologist bodyguard' has a neat ring to it, doesn't it?"

Hermione laughed slightly. "Oh, stop it – you'll make him think you're making fun of him," she reproached them.

"Nah, Neville knows that we like him, right, mate?" Ron took a seat next to Neville and started helping himself to breakfast.

"Er, right," Neville agreed warily.

"Don't worry, we're just joking," Hermione reassured him. "About the bodyguard thing, I mean," she elaborated, just for the case that he might misinterpret her words. "It's just that the situation is getting out of hand," she shot a dirty look at the Gryffindor girl trying to persuade Ginny to move over and let her sit next to Harry – as though Ginny would ever give up that spot. Hermione briefly wondered whether Ginny was still interested in Harry, then realized that Michael Corner, her boyfriend of several months, was sitting on her other side. _Not that that means she's not still interested in Harry, but at least she took my advice to heart, _Hermione thought, remembering when Ginny had come to her for advice about Harry and she had told her to relax around Harry and maybe date other boys. It seemed to be going well for her so far, and Harry never had seemed interested in Ginny in that way.

_How do I get Harry and Greengrass together? _Hermione wondered again. _It's probably best if they start out as friends __–__ and didn't Hames suggest bringing some Slytherins into the DA? But I guess that'll have to wait till after Dumbledore is dealt with, _she thought, feeling the same sharp hurt each time she remembered what the Headmaster had done to them. _No use worrying about it now, then,_ she decided and poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"Er, Hermione?"

She looked up from her glass. "Yeah, Neville?" He fidgeted a bit under her gaze, but eventually said,

"Could I talk to you after breakfast?"

"Sure," she agreed amicably, somewhat surprised at the request.

"Thanks."

"Anytime, Neville." With that he turned back to his breakfast, but Hermione noticed that the tips of his ears were a bit red.

_I wonder what that's about,_ she thought as she pensively buttered a slice of toast. _The Lestranges again?_ There didn't seem to be anything else to say about them beside what she had already told him, though, and it didn't feel like that was what he wanted to speak about...

_He couldn't be thinking of asking me out,_ the absurd thought had her glancing up sharply at the boy across the table. She paused, taking in the sight of the teenager. _...And if he is?_ She looked back down again, keeping her eyes away from Neville now that she had taken a thorough look at him. _He's not the little boy I first met anymore. Oh, he still has a lot of baby fat – I wonder if his face will ever be less than oval. And his hairstyle doesn't suit him – er, not that I know what would suit him better, _she admitted. _It's not like my hair looks any good, either, so I really shouldn't be criticizing his... _Snorting softly to herself, she tried to get away from physical aspects and think about his character instead.

_I don't actually know Neville very well, _she realized rather quickly. _He's quiet... Good with plants, hardworking... Loyal, of course, and I think he'd be very reliable... Actually, if you were his girlfriend he'd probably stand up to anyone for you, _she realized. _I mean, in our first year he stood up to the Boy Who Lived and his two friends over house points, so surely he'd be even more resolute in the defense of a loved one, regardless of who meant them harm. _It was a sobering realization, really. Everyone seemed to think of Neville as a pushover, but he had a hidden strength that she didn't think she'd seen since her very first year at Hogwarts. _He didn't lose it, did he?_ No – that was most likely why he had been sorted into Gryffindor in the first place: That courage to stand up for what he felt was right.

Hermione ducked her head to hide a smile. _He probably would have defied Voldemort right to his face had he ever come calling, _she thought. _What girl wouldn't want that kind of support?_

That thought stopped her short. Was she seriously considering Neville Longbottom as a prospective boyfriend? _Oh, you'll feel so silly if that isn't what he wants after all, _she blushed. But even so, she felt that she wouldn't mind getting to know him a bit better. With Ron her main problem was that he didn't respect her interests, but Neville seemed the type to, even if he couldn't understand the intricacy of Runes or Arithmancy. _But that's not necessarily a bad thing,_ she decided. _I don't know Herbology nearly as well as he does, but that doesn't mean we can't have a decent conversation about plants. _

Before she knew it she had finished her breakfast, and a look up showed that Neville was done as well. Harry only had a few bites left, but Ron would most likely have another serving of eggs before he was ready, so Hermione caught Neville's eye and smiled. "Shall we?" The boy blushed and nodded, so she grabbed her bag and stood. "I'll see you two in Transfiguration," she told her friends before heading out of the hall with Neville.

"What was it you wanted to talk about, Neville?" she asked after they had gone a little way from the Great Hall.

"I, well..." Neville was blushing and not meeting her eye, so she subtly directed their steps towards a little-used corner just off the hallway they were on.

"Yes?" she prompted, wondering whether her suspicion had been right after all and he was going to ask her out.

Finally the other teenager shored together his courage and met her eye, attempting to stand straighter as he said, "I was wondering if you'd go to Hogsmeade with me on the 25th." He couldn't hide the note of uncertainty that crept into his voice, and Hermione was sure that he expected her to say no.

"Sure," she smiled at him. "That's Saturday next week, isn't it?"

"Yes," Neville answered automatically, then stuttered, "W-wait, you'll go with me?"

"I did say yes, didn't I?" Hermione couldn't keep her lips from twitching at the boy's dumbfounded look. "Look, I realized earlier that I don't really know you even though we've already known each other nearly five years – and that's just sad, isn't it? I know you're a really nice guy, and I think we may get along really well, so I'd like to get to know you a bit better. If we end up as more then friends, then I'll be happy to call you my boyfriend," she smiled, then hesitated. "I mean, that is what you meant, isn't it?"

"Yes!" Neville reassured her immediately, though he still looked somewhat dazed.

"Alright then," Hermione said, relieved. "So, what do you think we'll be transfiguring in class today?" she asked as she turned to walk towards the classroom. Privately she resolved to spend a bit of time with Neville before the Hogsmeade weekend – it was still over a week away, after all, and she certainly planned on getting to know him a bit better before then!

OoOoO

"What did Neville want?" Harry asked quietly during Transfiguration, and even though Ron wasn't looking her way she knew he was listening for her answer.

"He asked me out to the next Hogsmead weekend," Hermione whispered back, smiling again in memory.

"He WHAT?!" Ron yelped, and both Harry and Hermione shushed him as Professor McGonagall rounded on him.

"I allow my students to talk in class only if they keep their voices down and complete the assignment, Mister Weasley," she said sternly. "Have you managed to turn your turtle into a teapot?"

"No ma'am," Ron replied sullenly, and she pursed her lips.

"May I point out that this year is your OWL year, and that I only accept students with an 'Exceeds Expectations' or higher into my NEWT class? I suggest you work harder at Transfiguration, Mister Weasley." With that she walked away to oversee another table's efforts.

"You didn't say yes, did you?" Ron immediately hissed to Hermione, completely ignoring Professor McGonagall's advice.

Hermione frowned, drawing herself up slightly. "Of course I did," she said, perfectly aware that Neville must be able to hear their conversation from the bench behind them.

"What?! Why?" Ron hissed, leaning even further over and nearly knocking over his turtle.

"Honestly, Ron," Hermione said in exasperation. "I said yes because I wanted to, obviously." Deciding there was no point in continuing the conversation, she turned back to her teapot and adroitly turned it back into a turtle.

"Excellent work, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall's voice rang out from behind them, making Ron flinch and sit upright. "Since you have the transfiguration down, I suggest you try variations of color, pattern and shape. Have fifteen points for Gryffindor."

"Thank you, Professor!" Hermione beamed, then spent the rest of the lesson ignoring Ron and changing the appearance of her teapot with each transfiguration. She felt rather sorry for the turtle, though she couldn't help but wonder whether the turtles themselves were transfigurations Professor McGonagall had done in preparation for the lesson. How else would the professor be able to present them with a different animal each lesson?

A/N: I wrote a little oneshot inspired by Hermione's musings, and it's on my page now! It's not necessarily set in this story, but if it is then it's from several years in the past. Just thought it was a fun idea ;)


	61. Chapter 61

CHAPTER SIXTY ONE:

When Harry reached Hogwarts again that evening, he collapsed much as he had the previous evening.

"Amelia agreed to dealing with Dumbledore soon," he told Severus wearily, "and today's trials went quickly, so we managed to get through six of them today. I had the goblins set up a trust fund for each Death Eater child and find a Muggleborn wizard to balance out Narcissa as a caretaker, which they did far more quickly than I had expected; the house elves at Black Manor are already preparing it for the children, so that should be ready soon. Today there were no children again, but Amelia told me in confidence that among tomorrow's Death Eaters there are two with children, and that there is no chance that the parents will go free. So tomorrow I have to deal with the first children – they're apparently quite young, under Hogwarts age, so it will probably be hard for them to be without their parents..."

Suddenly a loud hissing filled the air, and Harry straightened, a confused look on his face. "Luna?" Severus raised an eyebrow in query, and Harry shrugged cluelessly. "Let's go see what she wants, I guess?"

They went over to the entrance, and as the statue slid aside Harry asked, "What is it, Luna? Did the Timpling Irrens bring you?" Then he noticed that she was slumped and out of breath, and his gaze sharpened.

"No, the Lump-legged Urgles," she panted, and Harry's eyes widened.

"Where?" he asked curtly, visibly restraining himself from running off without direction.

"North Tower," Luna replied, and with that Harry was gone, running in the direction of the North Tower and whatever trouble he would find there.

Severus frowned down at his student. "What is happening on the North Tower?"

"Nothing Harry can't handle," she replied absently, and Severus raised an eyebrow.

"That does not answer my question; Harry is capable of handling many things." Didn't he just know it.

Luna giggled breathlessly. "True, Professor. Sorry for disturbing you." She turned to go, and Severus gave her back a pensive look.

"Stay, Miss Lovegood." She turned back looking slightly surprised, and he gestured for her to enter. "I am perhaps not as adept as Harry at making hot chocolate, but I can at least offer you my hospitality until he returns from the mission you've sent him on," he said drily. His student blinked once, slowly, then moved towards the door.

"Thank you, Professor." She looked up at him when she passed him. "Did the Kimdingers compel you to offer?"

Severus frowned slightly as he let the statue slide into place behind him. Hadn't Harry mentioned what Kimdingers were? "Ah," he said softly when he remembered that Kimdingers apparently stood for love. "Yes, perhaps it is due to the Kimdingers," he admitted. "I am not prone to inviting students other than my snakes into my private quarters."

Luna hummed happily as she sat down on his couch – in the spot Harry preferred, incidentally. "They suit you, Professor," she looked at him with those wide silver eyes of hers. "Your face softens when you listen to the Kimdingers. It's quite lovely."

Severus cleared his throat slightly, unable to keep his lips from twitching. "Thank you for the compliment, Miss Lovegood," he said. Harry certainly had the most interesting friends. "Could I offer you a cup of tea? I would not wish to offer you inferior hot chocolate," he said with a straight face, though his lips twitched again when she giggled, the sound like the chiming of little bells. Yet another person who laughed sincerely around him.

"A cup of tea would be lovely," Luna agreed. "I'm saving the treat of Harry's hot chocolate for a better time."

"Indeed," Severus said, preparing some tea in the kitchen, "now is not the most opportune time."

"I do apologize for disturbing you, Professor," his visitor said earnestly, "I would not have come were it not an emergency."

"There is no need to apologize, Miss Lovegood," he replied, bringing the tea set into the living room. "A biscuit?" he offered as he set down the tray before her, choosing the armchair to her left to sit in.

"Oh, how lovely!" the girl enthused over the small selection he had. "I do love butter biscuits."

"Please, help yourself," Severus invited, pouring himself a cup of tea. How long had it been since he had last exchanged such pleasantries with anyone? _Have I ever?_ He seemed to recall one or two visits by Minerva, but other than that nothing came to mind. His fellow Death Eaters certainly never deigned to visit him at Hogwarts, or accept an invitation to tea from such a lowly half-blood.

Then he became aware of his student waving her hand over his teacup in a shooing motion.

"Is something the matter, Miss Lovegood?" he asked, wondering whether there was a fly or perhaps dust.

"I'm just chasing away the Plimplams, Professor Snape," she replied with a slight frown. "They seemed to be affecting you, and I'd rather they went away."

Severus hummed pensively. The only conclusion he could reach was that she had picked up on his minute shift in mood, which would mean that Plimplams were bringers of unpleasant thoughts or something of the like.

"They should leave again soon, Miss Lovegood," he assured her, which caused her hands to still. "Plimplams used to enjoy my company very much, but they have decreased in the past few weeks. I believe the Kimdingers to be chasing them away."

His young companion blinked twice, then suddenly beamed at him. "I never thought of it that way! You're right, of course – these are the most I've seen around you of late, Professor. Is it my presence that's attracting them?"

"No," Severus immediately assured her, "It was merely a passing thought that brought them. As I said, they should be leaving momentarily." Picking up his cup, he leaned back in his armchair. "When you arrived, you mentioned... I believe they were called Lump-legged Urgles? Tell me about them," he invited. She seemed only too happy to comply.

OoOoO

Harry slowed to a trot when he reached the North Tower, stopping just before the last bend and slipping his wand into his hand.

"Don't!" a young voice cried out, and Harry's eyes flashed as he recognized the boy's voice.

"What's going on here?" he asked as he slid into sight, his wand casually held in his hand and his voice deceptively calm. The three older Gryffindors turned like rabbits before a car, their eyes widening as they recognized him.

"Nothing, Lord Potter-Black," one of them tried to assure him. "We were just having a little chat with Creevey here about the use of his camera," he shot the younger Gryffindor a dirty look.

"Ah," Harry said mildly. "And what where the details of this… chat?"

"He's always taking photos of everything, getting in the way, making noise," another boy complained, holding up the camera he had taken from Colin. "We were telling him to be more considerate of other people's peace and privacy – it's like he doesn't understand the concept!"

Harry hummed and took a step forward. "I see. Why don't you give that to me," he held out his left hand for the camera, "and I'll have a talk with my friend here. How does that sound?"

The three boys seemed to understand the hidden warning in his words – though openly calling Colin his friend was hardly subtle – and left quickly, leaving behind Harry, Colin and his camera.

"Here you go, Colin," Harry said once the three boys had left, handing the small boy his camera back with a smile. "I may not agree with their methods, but they are right that you should tone it down a little. Why don't you try taking photos of the castle and the grounds for a bit, and maybe ask people for permission to photograph them? You're a great guy, and I'm sure you'll be a great photographer, but the OWL and NEWT students especially prefer to be undisturbed when they're studying."

"I guess," Colin said resignedly. "I just wanted to take good photos…"

"And you do," Harry assured him, slinging an arm around the younger Gryffindor's shoulders. "You just have to make sure that you don't disturb others while you're perfecting your skills," he told the boy.

Colin seemed to consider that. "I suppose you're right," he said eventually. "I'll try to think of the others next time."

"That's all I ask," Harry smiled. "You okay to go back to Gryffindor Tower on your own?"

"Yeah," Colin said, standing a bit straighter. "Thanks, Harry."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Harry winked and started down the steps. "I'll see you round, Colin."

Behind him a small Gryffindor looked down at the camera in his hands before raising it and taking a photo of Harry's retreating back. "I'll have to make it quieter somehow," Harry heard him muttering and grinned as he headed back to the dungeons.


	62. Chapter 62

CHAPTER SIXTY TWO:

"Luna!" Harry greeted happily when he reentered Severus's quarters. "I thought you had gone back to the Ravenclaw dorm," he said, walking over to where they were sitting and leaning down to give Severus a kiss.

"That's hardly appropriate in front of a student," Severus admonished him, though it seemed more out of habit than because he truly felt that way.

"But it's perfectly alright in front of a friend," Harry corrected, giving him a second kiss just to prove his point. "Did you two have a nice chat?" he asked, moving to the couch and sitting down next to Luna.

"I did," Luna smiled serenely. "The Professor wanted to know about Lump-legged Urgles."

"Ah, yes," Harry grinned. "Wonderful creatures. It was just a few older Gryffindor boys pushing Colin around because he's been annoying them with his camera, but I think he's more likely to listen to what I told him than to three bullies. Though I think they may have been about to destroy his camera when I got there," he frowned. "At any rate, thanks for the warning," Harry leaned over and gave Luna a peck on the cheek.

"You're welcome, Harry," she smiled, appearing completely unruffled at the spontaneous display of affection.

"You'll tell me if any Nargles bother you, right?" he asked worriedly, looking her squarely in the eyes.

"Oh, they haven't been bothering me lately," Luna replied dreamily, reaching up a hand to toy with her necklace. "I had theorized that the new necklace would need a few weeks to take effect…"

"That's good," Harry smiled, leaning sideways against the back of the couch. "But you'll let me know if the necklace stops working?"

"Sure, Harry," she agreed easily. Standing up abruptly, she turned to Severus. "Thank you for the tea, Professor; I enjoyed myself. Good night, Harry," Luna smiled dreamily and headed for the door.

"Good night," two voices called after her, and Luna skipped the rest of the way to Ravenclaw Tower.

"So," Harry turned to Severus with a glint in his eye. "What did she tell you about Lump-legged Urgles?"

"It was quite interesting," Severus temporized. "Rather extraordinary, really."

Harry laughed. "You can say it – Luna's unique."

"That she is," Severus agreed with a small smirk. "It was, however, a very interesting conversation. As far as I understood it, Lump-legged Urgles are creatures that have the form of one-legged furry bison with extremely large ears but very small lungs, and they come running for help when someone needs it, generally due to a violent situation. Correct?"

"That sounds about right," Harry grinned. "You wouldn't believe how often they helped us in the future, though – and sometimes when Luna was right next to me, even, so though I have no idea how she does it, she must have some kind of sixth sense that either perceives these creatures or the things she invents the creatures for; there's simply no other explanation when she's standing next to me and suddenly gasps that the Abbots need help," he shook his head. "However she does it, it's dead handy, and she's a fun person to have around, too."

"I see what you mean," Severus nodded pensively. "It would be interesting to find out how she does it, but it seems that she is convinced that there are creatures that we others all cannot see. Perhaps she is right."

Harry nodded. "You see what I mean. Others think she's crazy, but she clearly has some kind of skill that we others don't have, and I think it's a shame that others look down on her for it." Then he smiled. "But it seems that she enjoyed chatting with you, so at least she has one more person who understands her." Standing up, Harry walked over to Severus and slid into his lap. "Did she mention Kimdingers at all?"

"Ah, yes," Severus said, feeling his face softening. "She told me they suit me."

Harry laughed at that, then leaned in for a kiss. "I agree with her there!"

OoOoO

The next morning Harry's wasn't in quite as good a mood.

"Filius," he said as he stepped into the Charms classroom, "I need to borrow Draco Malfoy for an hour or two. I have here a permission form signed by his Head of House permitting him to leave Hogwarts for the day," Harry handed a piece of parchment to the part-goblin and looked over at the students. He caught Draco's eye just as the Charms teacher said that everything seemed in order.

"You are free to go, Mister Malfoy," Filius Flitwick smiled at his student. "I am sure that one of your classmates will be able to lend you today's notes."

"Thank you, Professor," Draco replied, watching Harry warily as he gathered his things together.

"You can leave your things with Goyle, if you want," Harry pointed out. "You won't need your books, after all."

The boy didn't give any sign of having heard him, but left his bag on the desk when he was done packing it. All eyes were on them as they left the classroom, and as soon as the door was closed behind them Draco demanded, "Why should I go anywhere with you, Potter?"

Harry just gave him a level look, trying not to react to the aggressive tone. "Didn't your mother write you a letter about joining the Black family?"

"What if she did?" Draco crossed his arms, and Harry was hard-put not to roll his eyes.

Turning and starting towards the entrance hall, Harry replied, "Then you already know that Narcissa will be rejoining the Black family, and you have the same chance. If you choose not to become a Black, you can go back to Charms class and finish your last year at Hogwarts, for after that you won't have any funds to pay for a further education. Nor a home, incidentally, or even clothing past what you have at Hogwarts. Not a mother, either, as Narcissa will no longer be a Malfoy. I am headed for Gringotts now to formally bring her back into the Black family," Harry stopped and looked back at the blonde, "and you should have decided by now whether you'll come along or not."

The light-skinned boy was even paler than usual, but his arms were still crossed and he was glaring at Harry. "I hardly have a choice in the matter, do I Potter? If you hadn't defeated the Dark Lord none of this would have happened," Draco spat.

A silence fell as Harry simply met Draco's gaze neutrally. Eventually he turned away and said, "Come or don't; I don't care." Then he walked away, knowing that in a few seconds the young Malfoy would follow him and realizing that he truly didn't care if he didn't.

OoOoO

"Lord Potter-Black," Narcissa Malfoy rose from the seat she had been waiting on in Gringotts' entrance.

"Lady Malfoy," he replied formally, accepting her hand and bowing over it to brush a kiss on the back of her hand. It would be the last time he did. "Shall we proceed?"

"After you," she inclined her head, stepping aside for him to pass and falling in step with her son. She didn't greet him verbally, and neither did he her, but Harry couldn't see what they may be doing behind his back. For all he knew they could be holding hands.

"Good morning, Warrior," Harry saluted the first free teller, ignoring the stares all the other humans were giving his small party. "I came to annul Narcissa Black's marriage to Lucius Malfoy and bring Draco Malfoy into the House of Black."

"Please follow me, Lord Potter-Black," the goblin said promptly, putting up a 'closed' sign on his desk. Harry was surprised that the goblin would deal with it personally, but shrugged it off thinking that perhaps this goblin was responsible for such things. He and his two companions followed the goblin down a marble hallway, reaching an office just a minute later.

"Have a seat," the goblin offered, giving Narcissa the piercing look that Harry had expected to receive. The two adults took the chairs in front of the desk while Draco remained standing behind his mother; the goblin proceeded to the other side of the desk and promptly started rummaging around in a drawer.

"The Malfoy-Black marriage can only be declared invalid by the Lord Black if the Malfoy family is no longer capable of supporting the bride," the goblin said as he slapped a document down on the desk. "No other reason, including attempted murder by the husband, is a valid reason for dissolution of the Malfoy-Black marriage."

"So even if Malfoy had tried to kill you you couldn't have ended the marriage?" Harry asked Narcissa incredulously. "Mad." Turning back to the goblin he asked, "Can the Lord Black still dissolve the marriage if Lord Black personally killed Lord Malfoy?"

"As long as the Malfoy family is incapable of supporting the Black bride the Lord Black is capable of dissolving the marriage," the goblin said neutrally. He didn't seem at all surprised at Harry's revelation.

Just then Draco's brain seemed to catch up, and he pulled his wand with a roar. "You killed my father!"

Harry however was much faster, and Draco had hardly raised his wand when he was already frozen in a body bind. "You may not want to try that," he told the boy mildly. "I killed Lucius Malfoy on Voldemort's orders; what makes you think that you'll be able to take me down when I defeated both your father and his master? Calm down and use your head for once." Leaving the boy bound, Harry looked to the woman beside him. "Do you object, too? It's not too late to say that you'd rather not have me as your Head of House."

"You believe that I did not already know the identity of my husband's killer?" Narcissa asked stiffly. "He knew that to betray the Dark Lord was to court death; any Death Eater would have killed him. That the Dark Lord chose you to fulfill the task was pure chance."

Harry looked at her for a moment before inclining his head wryly. "True. If not me, then Severus would have killed your husband. I wonder how Draco would feel had his godfather been the one to kill his father?" Not expecting an answer, Harry turned back to the goblin. "I, in my role as Lord Black, choose to dissolve Narcissa Black's marriage to Lucius Malfoy."

"Please sign here, Lord Potter-Black," the goblin said evenly, sliding a document across the desk. "Doing so with this blood quill will immediately annul the Malfoy-Black marriage."

Harry narrowed his eyes in distaste at the sight of the blood quill, but picked it up without ado. He gave the document a brief one-over - it was the original wedding certification, it seemed – and signed swiftly, twitching slightly at the familiar bite of a blood quill.

"You may keep the document if you so wish, Lord Potter-Black," the goblin said when the blood had dried on the parchment.

"I would prefer to leave it in the goblins' capable hands," Harry returned, laying the blood quill down carefully.

"Gringotts is honored by your trust," the goblin said, and Harry couldn't tell whether he meant it or not. "Will you wish to bring Draco Malfoy into the Black House?"

Harry turned his head to look at the bound Draco. "It is up to Malfoy," he said neutrally, raising his wand to release the boy from the spell but keeping his wand raised. "Well?"

Draco scowled darkly, but lowered his wand. His hand however was gripping the wood so tightly that his knuckles were white. "I will join the Black House," he bit out.

"Narcissa, you will have to make sure he knows how to speak to his Head of House," Harry told his cousin without taking his eyes off Draco. "Draco Malfoy will join the Black House, Warrior," he informed the goblin, only turning away from the boy when he was reasonably sure that he wouldn't try to curse him in the back. The rings he wore should be able to protect him from nearly anything the boy could throw at him – except for an Unforgivable, but that would be a one-way ticket to Azkaban for the last remaining Malfoy.

"Oaths will be necessary, Lord Potter-Black," the goblin said, giving Harry the long-expected shrewd look. "Draco Malfoy will first pledge a magical oath to belong only to the Black family and never renounce it for another, acknowledging you as his Head of House, after which you in your capacity as Lord Black will swear an oath welcoming Draco Malfoy into the House of Black."

Harry hummed quietly. "Is it possible to have two Heads of House?" he asked. Narcissa's sudden intense look almost made him smirk – she probably thought he meant for Draco to become Lord Black when he turned seventeen.

"It is possible for two or more people to possess the Lordship of the same House simultaneously," the goblin confirmed. "Currently both Harry Potter-Black and Sirius Black are the Heads of House Black."

"Excellent," Harry said. "Once Draco Malfoy has joined the Black House I require emancipation papers for Harry Potter. The House of Potter will also have two Heads."

"It will be done," the goblin said, pulling a piece of parchment from a drawer and laying it to the side.

A pause, then the three adults turned to the single underage member of their group.

"Oh, very well," Draco snarled, raising his wand. "I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, renounce the Malfoy name and ask," he spat the word, "the Lord Black to receive me into the House of Black. I hereby swear to never renounce the Black family for another and acknowledge both Sirius Orion Black and Harry James Potter-Black as my Heads of House." A bright light flashed from the tip of his wand, and Draco lowered it again, glowering at Harry.

Harry promptly raised his own wand. "I, Harry James Potter-Black, accept Draco Lucius into the Black House." An identical light flashed from his wand and he turned back to the goblin, dismissing Draco out of hand.

"Harry Potter will need to sign this parchment, as will his legal guardians," the goblin said promptly, sliding the single parchment across the desk. "Once the parchment is filed back at Gringotts Mister Potter will receive his Lordship ring and the keys to the Potter vaults."

"Wonderful," Harry said, taking the parchment and rising. "I thank you for your time, Warrior."

"Gringotts anticipates doing business again soon," the goblin returned formally before leading them back to the exit. Harry gave the goblin a salute before turning to his silent companions.

"Draco is excused from classes for the day," Harry informed Narcissa. "You may want to show him around the Black manor; it will be his new home, after all."

"And what will you be doing, Potter?" Draco sneered. "Going to destroy other Pureblood names?"

Harry gave the boy a cold look. "You will refer to me as 'Lord Black', 'Lord Potter-Black', or 'my Lord'. Do I need to remind you that you just swore a magical oath acknowledging me as your Head of House?" Turning back to Narcissa, he said in clipped tones, "I will be at the Ministry attending the trials. Once they are over I will come by with two young children and the man who will be assisting you. I believe you've already become acquainted with the house elves at the manor?" She nodded. "Good. Instruct your son in the rules of House Black and the instructions I gave you. If I find him mistreating any of my servants he will have to accept the punishment I choose."

"You can rely on me, my Lord."

"I'm sure I can," he said, knowing that at least he could trust her to take care of the children properly. Whether he could trust her with more than that remained to be seen. After a pause he said to Draco, "The permission form is only valid for this day. Be back at Hogwarts before curfew and inform Professors McGonagall and Snape of your new status. The Headmistress will most likely announce it tomorrow so that people know to call you by your new name." With a last nod to Narcissa he left for the Ministry and another long day of trials. He had most likely missed part of the first one, but there would be at least another three to sit through.

_Oh, joy,_ he thought, tucking the emancipation papers for Harry into his robes and apparating to the Ministry. _Here we go again._

A/N: I realized something today that I think my readers do not – Harry arrived in the past on the 23rd of February, and this chapter takes place on the 16th of March. It's only been three weeks! In under a month, Harry managed to take charge of the Order, remove the threat of Voldemort and his Death Eaters, replace the Minister with a more competent one, void Dumbledore's influence on the wizarding world, establish Minerva as Hogwarts Headmistress, set up a home for innocent children, get fair Death Eater trials running, dress his house elf servants in proper clothing, and reconnect with a few friends. What a driven man!  
Also, when I was organizing my story today (figuring out what needs to happen soon, who I've been neglecting, etc) I realized that Sirius has been completely sidelined, and I feel really bad for him. You can expect a Sirius chapter soon!


	63. Chapter 63

CHAPTER SIXTY THREE:

"Mister Oakley?" Harry managed a smile for the man waiting outside the courtroom. "I'd shake your hand, but I'm afraid both my hands are already taken." He held two infants in his arms – they were thankfully asleep, and still young enough to hold each in one arm, but his arms were straining under their weight.

"Oh! Here, let me take one of them for you," Peter Oakley said, reaching out to take the bigger kid from Harry. "These are the only children today?"

"Yes," Harry said, shaking out his right arm briefly before holding the other child more securely. "This one is Lucas Plum, and he's seven months old; the boy you're holding is Orman Wraith, and I believe he's just over a year old. The goblins have their birth certificates, and you can check the details whenever you want. Gringotts is dealing with the paperwork for me, thank God."

"I didn't think the goblins dealt with such things," the 28-year-old frowned slightly as they headed slowly down the hall.

"Thankfully, goblins will do nearly anything related to paperwork, currency or valuables if you pay them the right sum," Harry laughed slightly. "Thank you for doing this so short-notice, by the way; it's really great to have your help."

The man smiled crookedly. "It's no problem, Lord Potter-Black. Not like I had anything better to do anyway," he confessed.

"Well, I'm glad to have you," Harry said firmly, smiling up at the somewhat taller man. He wasn't quite as tall as Severus, but Harry still had to look up into his face. "I'm sure Narcissa will come to appreciate you, too. Oh, you may want to call her Miss Black until she invites you to call her by first name. Please call me Harry, though – I'm not a big fan of formality."

"Sure, Harry," the brown-haired man said easily. "That's something I could never get used to about the wizarding world. Here, it's 'Lord this' and 'Lady that' – I prefer using people's names."

"Exactly!" Harry exclaimed excitedly. "It has its uses when it's you who's the Lord, but I can't stand people calling me 'Lord' all the time. Though it will be entertaining hearing Draco call me that," he muttered with a smirk.

"What was that?" Peter asked, stepping into the elevator behind three members of the Wizengamot.

"Oh, nothing," Harry dismissed with a smile. "Just talking to myself – I can't wait to hit a bed," he said sincerely, nearly laughing at the skeptical expressions of the Wizengamot members. They probably thought he meant literally hitting a bed.

"I hear you," his companion shifted the boy he was holding to the other arm. "More trials tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah," Harry sighed, leaning back slightly to avoid the grate that abruptly barred the doorway. Then the elevator jerked into movement and Harry was thrown sideways, knocking Peter into the wall and nearly falling over.

"Whoa there," his companion said, and Harry grimaced.

"I hate these elevators," he said fervently, the movement of the elevator making him stumble to the other side just as he had righted himself.

Peter seemed to agree, grumbling, "I thought it was bad when it was just me, but how is anyone supposed to carry anything when it jerks around like this? Oh, sorry," he apologized to the Wizengamot member he had bumped into.

"Don't ask me," Harry said, holding Lucas as securely as he could in one arm while the other hand held on to the overhead strap as tightly as possible. When the ride finally ended they practically fell out, moving swiftly away from the elevator.

"Here, I'll side-along you," Harry offered when they reached the apparition point, holding out his arm to Peter and ignoring the people staring and the few reporters trying to get his attention. "You'll need to be added to the wards; before I do that you won't be able to apparate in."

"Alright then," Peter agreed, wrestling briefly with the sleeping child before reaching out a hand to grab Harry's arm. "Whenever you're ready."

With a spin and a pop they reappeared in the apparition room of Black Manor. "Zipky!" Harry called, and a house elf appeared before them. _I'll have to speak with Madam Tinkleweather about more uniforms,_ he made a mental note before asking the Black elf, "Could you tell me where Narcissa is?"

"Mistress Black is in the first sitting room with Master Black," Zipky squeaked, bouncing slightly on her toes.

"Please call them Mistress Narcissa and Master Draco," Harry instructed her with a smile. "Otherwise things will just get confusing, don't you think?"

"Yes, Master Harry," the house elf agreed happily. She liked this Master – he gave Black elves lots of work, and was very nice. He let Black Winky wear a beautiful dress, too, and Zipky was hopeful that he would let her wear one, too.

"This is Peter Oakley," Harry introduced his companion, "and you can call him Master Peter. The children are Lucas and Orman. They aren't masters, alright?"

"Yes, Master Harry," Zipky nodded eagerly. The first children to take care of! It was so exciting! She couldn't wait to tell Lurch and Reggy.

"Right then. Could you take us to Narcissa? I'm afraid I don't know where the sitting room is," he smiled apologetically.

"Come, Master Harry!" the house elf said excitedly, happy to be able to help. "The first sitting room is right this way!" The two men followed the energetic elf to the room Draco and Narcissa were in, and the two former Malfoys looked up when they entered.

"Thank you, Zipky," Harry said to his house elf. "I'll talk to you again before I leave, okay?"

She nodded happily before popping away, leaving the humans alone.

"Narcissa, I'd like to introduce you to Peter Oakley," Harry smiled encouragingly at his companion. "He'll be taking care of the children with you. These are the first two, as you can see," he lifted Lucas slightly, "and they're currently under a mild sleeping spell. It'll wear off in the morning, but by then you'll hopefully be ready for them. Since you don't often have the chance to spend some time with your son Peter and I will put the children to bed and get some dinner; you and he will have plenty of time to get to know each other. How does that sound?"

"Sounds great," Peter said at the same time as Narcissa said, "That sounds fine, my Lord." The blank look Peter gave Narcissa at the use of Harry's title almost made him laugh, but he managed to keep it to a small smirk.

"Right then. Zipky?" The house elf appeared, and Harry eased the smirk into a smile. "Peter and I would like to put the children to bed. Could you show us the way to the nursery?"

The house elf beamed, and Harry wondered who her previous owners had been for her to be so happy to be called on so often. A goblin had organized three house elves for him, saying that that number would be sufficient to care for the number of children he would end up with, and they had been promptly bound to the House of Black and put to work cleaning up Black Manor. The three – Zipky, Lurch and Reggy – had seemed overjoyed to become Black elves, and unlike Winky, who answered to Sirius over him, they answered to him before anyone else.

"This way, Master Harry!" Shaking his head at the antics of his house elf – she was practically bouncing as she showed them the way – Harry followed her through hallways and up stairs until they reached the nursery.

"Wow," Peter said appreciatively as they entered. "It's huge!"

Harry silently agreed – the room was probably three times as large as he had expected. The pale yellow walls and a light blue ceiling seemed restful, and the floor was for the most part covered in a plush yellow carpet. Cribs were scattered around the room, each with a different stuffed animal in it, and other toys lay around on the floor. Crossing to the nearest crib, Harry carefully laid Lucas in it, a memory of Teddy rising unbidden and choking him up.

"Please don't happen again," he whispered, remembering his small godson. They had lost him not to the enemy, but to crib death. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Poppy had called it – Nymph had put her son to bed one night and the next morning they had found him dead. There had been no signs of a struggle, and when they had called in Poppy a single spell had revealed that it had been SIDS that had taken Teddy from them so suddenly.

"Harry?"

Harry's head shot up at Peter's voice, a tear falling due to the sudden motion. The older man was looking at him, his blue eyes concerned for his young employer. "You okay?"

A small laugh bubbled forth from Harry's lips, the sound just that side of hysteric. "Sorry," Harry said, wiping his sleeve over his eyes. "Just remembering another child. Orman's in bed? Let's see, where's Zipky…" The house elf poked her head around the side of the crib. "Ah, Zipky." Harry crouched to be on the same height as her, smiling slightly at her surprised and delighted expression at the concession. "Right, you already know to call us Master Harry, Master Peter and Mistress Narcissa. Actually, let's have Lurch and Reggy here, too… Ah, great. Hi, you two. You both know to call us Master Harry and Master Peter, right? Good. I just wanted to say that you're not to take any orders from any of the children, even Draco, alright? He's a Black, and a Master, but some of the children that will end up here will be his age or older, and letting him give you orders when the other children can't is unfair. Is that okay for you three?"

The three house elves nodded, though their faces showed that they weren't sure. "Well, give it a try at least. If you find it hard not to obey his orders, come to me, okay?" The nods were quick to follow this time. "Then, there's Peter and Narcissa. They'll both be taking care of the children, and they'll need your help. That means that you follow both of their orders, but neither of them is more important than the other, alright? Narcissa will try to be the Mistress of the home, but Peter's orders are on the same level as hers, and she can't keep you from obeying Peter's orders. If their orders contradict or you feel that an order is wrong, either do what you think is right or come to me. It doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing, alright? You can always come to me for anything."

"Yes, Master Harry!" the elves chorused eagerly, and he smiled.

"One more thing. You are NEVER to punish yourselves, alright?" he fixed them with an intent gaze. "Even if a Master orders you to iron your ears or punch the wall, you are NOT to do it. Any order that involves you hurting yourselves is not to be followed, understood?"

The elves were wide-eyed in astonishment, but nodded quickly. No punishments?

"That's it, then." Harry groaned as he stood up again, wanting nothing more than his bed. "Peter and I are going to go get some dinner, probably in a Muggle area, so you're in charge of the house until he gets back. Well, I guess Narcissa is, but we know who's really in charge, right?" he winked at Reggy, then stifled a yawn. "Alright, we're off. If I don't eat something now I'm going to fall asleep standing, and that's not going to help at all." A thought occurred to him and he asked Lurch, "Peter's room is ready for him, right?"

"Master Peter's room is ready, Master Harry!" the house elf nodded vigorously.

"Great. He'll need you to show him the way when he gets back, and either tomorrow or later tonight you could show him around the manor." Three small people responded eagerly and Harry smiled again. House elves always seemed to make him smile.

"Alright, off with you," he waved his hands in a shooing motion and turned to leave. "Let's go get some food, Peter – I'm starving."


	64. Chapter 64

CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR:

When Harry got back to Hogwarts it was to find Severus grading essays at his desk in the living room. The older man looked up when he walked in, a smile in his eyes for Harry.

"Welcome back," he said, and Harry smiled weakly before sinking to the floor right where he was.

"I'm so tired," he moaned as he pillowed his head on his arm, ignoring how uncomfortable and cold the stone floor was. The scraping of a chair against stone, then steps approaching his fallen form.

Severus crouched down beside his lover, reaching out to brush some hair out of his face. "It appears that your day was as tiring as you had anticipated," he said drily. Harry huffed a laugh.

"You can say that again."

Reaching up, Harry ineffectively tugged at Severus to join him. "I believe the bed would be more comfortable than the dungeon floor," Severus drawled in no little amusement as his younger lover grasped at his robes.

"Nooooo," Harry moaned, giving up and covering his face instead.

Severus smirked and leaned over to whisper in Harry's ear. "The bed is also good for other things than sleeping…"

"No energy," Harry muttered, and Severus shook his head, losing the smirk to a tender expression. Casting a featherlight charm on his lover, he picked him up and carried him to the bedroom, laying him on the bed and stripping him to his boxer shorts.

"I will be with you shortly," he told the 21-year-old as he pulled up the covers. A few minutes later he slipped in beside his partner, magically extinguishing the torches that lighted his bedroom. Harry promptly rolled over and pillowed his head on Severus's chest.

"Today," he began tiredly, then broke off with a huge yawn.

"Tell me tomorrow," Severus said quietly, rubbing the flat of his hand along Harry's back. "Whatever it is, it can wait until you are rested."

"Mmh," Harry agreed, drawing even closer to the Potions Master. "G'night."

"Good night, Harry."

OoOoO

Harry slept deeply and without any nightmares, to both men's relief, and joined Severus for breakfast in the Great Hall. As it was Saturday there weren't many students there yet, but those present stared when they walked in together. Harry mostly ignored them, only nodding to the people he knew.

"Draco visited you last evening, right?" he checked with Severus, who nodded.

"Indeed. I believe he informed Minerva directly afterwards, and she is likely to inform the student body at dinner."

"That's what I thought." Reaching the Head Table, Harry greeted Minerva amicably and nodded to Madam Hooch; the other teachers hadn't arrived yet. "I think today Amelia's likely to announce Dumbledore's trial to the Wizengamot," he said quietly as they seated themselves. "I think it would be good for the professors, especially Minerva, to attend his trial. You can hardly leave Hogwarts unsupervised, though... Maybe Amelia will be able to lend some Aurors for a day?"

"That would be a reasonable solution," Severus agreed pensively as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "I admit that I would like to attend the wizard's trial."

"How is he doing, anyway?" Harry asked. "I'm guessing he's still in the Hospital Wing, but I haven't stopped to visit him at any point."

"He is," the Potions professor confirmed, sipping carefully of the hot liquid. "According to Poppy he has been nearly incapable of movement, writing letters and notes with a dicta-quill. She does not know what he writes; he puts up a privacy charm beforehand, and she is loath to breach his privacy by looking at his notes."

Harry looked at Severus with narrowed eyes, hand poised over the plate of sausages without taking any. "I don't like it," he said, and Severus raised an eyebrow.

"You believe that I do?" the man asked, deftly transferring two sausages to Harry's plate. "Eat. Minister Bones will deal with whatever he is planning." Taking a sausage for himself, he sliced it into proportionately sized pieces – Harry didn't think the Potions Master even thought about it anymore. "I am more interested in when the spells he has maintaining fall," Severus said, giving Harry a meaningful look as he took a bite of bread.

Harry paused, considering that. "You have a point. Is he still powering them?"

"Is he not?" Severus countered, pointing his fork in Minerva's direction. Harry bit his lip.

"He'll probably try to keep them going until the day he dies," he conceded. "Should we do something about them? No," he answered his own question, "it's better if they're still going when he's questioned. Maybe I should slip Amelia some questions..."

Severus simply inclined his head before focusing on his meal. Harry sighed and turned to his breakfast as well.

OoOoO

By the time the owls arrived with the morning's mail and newspaper they had turned to discussing the previous day, Harry telling Severus in detail about the day's events. Severus was not impressed by his godson's behavior, though he grudgingly agreed with Harry when he pointed out that most people would hate their father's killer. He raised a skeptical eyebrow when Harry mentioned that Draco would be unable to order around the house elves and warned Harry not to become complacent in his role as Draco's Head of House, firmly believing that the boy would make at least one assassination attempt.

"If he is wise, he will bide his time and strike at you when you're least prepared," he cautioned. "Most likely when your arms and attention are occupied with a child, if he chooses to strike in the Black manor. Your house elves may be able to detect a threat to you, so ensure that you instruct them on the situation," Severus said, his tone level but his eyes conveying his concern.

Harry nodded grimly. "Make sure you keep an eye out as well," he returned. "It's common knowledge now that you were a spy, and some sympathizers or Death Eater children may want to hurt you. Be careful, alright?" He didn't suggest Severus get his own house elf only because he would ask Dobby to keep an eye on the Potions Master for him.

"I will," Severus inclined his head, a soft smile on his lips instead of the sharp words anyone else would likely have gotten at the suggestion that he was anything but constantly on his guard.

"Oh!" Harry exclaimed, immediately brightening. "Let me tell you about Peter," he said eagerly, distracted momentarily by the owl winging in with that day's Prophet. "Peter Oakley is the Muggleborn wizard the goblins found to balance out Narcissa, and he's great! We had dinner together last night so that I could get to know him – he is my employee, after all," Harry clearly wasn't sure how to feel about having employees beyond Dobby, "and he seems perfect for the job. He clearly loves children very much, and is very cheerful. Informal, too, which I like but Narcissa will probably hate," he chuckled, "and he seemed to get along well with the house elves when I left him at the manor. All in all a good choice, I think."

"Excellent," Severus said, paying the owl and accepting the newspaper it carried. "What is his age?"

"Er, I think he's 28," Harry replied with a questioning lilt to his voice. "He's taller than me, too – though not as tall as you – with brown hair and blue eyes. He has a friendly face and a good build. Fairly attractive, actually – I hope there won't be problems with the girls when they join the home," he frowned slightly, then laughed. "I can just imagine Pansy Parkinson fawning over him," he chuckled. "Wonder how Draco would feel about that?"

Severus smirked. "Draco is not an unattractive boy, and though no longer the heir to the Malfoy family, he is now a member of an even older Pureblood family. Parkinson is too focused on status to find a Muggleborn wizard appealing," he drawled.

Harry snorted and reached for the rolled-up newspaper lying at Severus's elbow. "Ah, I thought that Rita would somehow catch wind of this," he sounded amused as he pointed at the front page headline: **MALFOYS BROUGHT INTO THE BLACK FAMILY**. The article seemed to cover the basics of his business at Gringotts, detailing in rather sensational writing how he had annulled Narcissa's marriage and sworn Draco into the Black family. There was speculation over Draco's chances of becoming Lord Black, the current location and activities of Sirius Black, and a mention that it seemed Lord Potter-Black was true to his word when he said that the children of Death Eaters weren't to be blamed for their parents' crimes. The absence of Lucius Malfoy was alluded to but not expressly mentioned.

The other front-page article raised questions about the children Harry left the Ministry with, including a photo of Harry and Peter holding a boy each. That they were Death Eater children was made clear, and the journalist wondered what business the Lord Potter-Black may have with infants, speculating that the Lord was personally taking them to an orphanage. "I should probably give a statement," Harry muttered. "Who knows what theories people will come up with otherwise..."

A look at the gossip column had him nearly choking on the drink he had just taken. "Seriously?! I had only just met the man for the first time!" he exclaimed, pointing at the part that wondered whether he and Peter were a couple. "'Two dashing men with children, the picture of the perfect family'," he read the caption for a photo that showed the two of them arm-in-arm just before apparition. "I didn't even know homosexuality was accepted in the wizarding world," he turned to Severus with an incredulous expression.

"Homosexuality is... complicated," Severus said slowly, his eyes flicking to the photo of Harry and Peter. "To wizarding society, the most important thing is continuing the bloodline – and bastards are frowned upon, of course, and adoption doesn't count in the eyes of most Purebloods. Thus, the preferred option is for a man to marry a woman, have at least a son to continue the line – but then the couple is free to take lovers, provided they remain discreet. Indeed, you are now more likely to receive offers from women who ask to be Lady Potter-Black while telling you in all sincerity that you're welcome to keep your lover on the side," he sneered.

"I... see," Harry blinked, looking back down at the newspaper in his hands. Looking back at Severus, he laid a hand on his arm. "You do know that I'm not at all interested in Peter, right?" he asked softly, searching Severus's face for traces of uncertainty or jealousy.

Severus's face softened. "I know, Harry."

"Good," Harry smiled in relief. "Eventually someone's going to find out about us, though; how do you feel about that?" Even now he could feel the eyes watching him interacting with the Potions Master.

Severus hesitated. "I am not a very expressive person in public," he began, "but I will admit that I am a possessive man. Should the situation escalate I am likely to publicly stake my claim, but I would prefer if it remained private. I do not believe my private life to be anyone's business but my own."

Harry nodded with a wry smile. "I agree. I'd rather not have the entire wizarding world aware of my private life," he said, "but it's always seemed to have an unhealthy interest in me, so I won't hold my breath."

An expressive grimace was Severus's only reply, and Harry turned his attention back to the newspaper. "I'll probably have to leave for the Ministry soon," he mused as he skimmed over the pages detailing the previous day's trials. "Maybe I should even get there a bit early so that I can hold an impromptu press meeting about the children..."

"That may be a good idea," Severus agreed, and Harry put down the newspaper with a sigh.

"Then I'll see you tonight, I suppose," he said with a wry smile as he stood. "Sorry that I haven't been around at all..."

The look Severus turned on him clearly questioned his sanity. "It is hardly your fault," the man said drily. "We will simply have to persevere until wizarding Britain is capable of standing on its own two feet and then we can have all the time we want," he said, a small smile pulling at his lips. "Tell me, which country would you like to visit first?"

Harry laughed and turned to go. "Egypt!" he called back over his shoulder, laughing harder at Severus's grimace.

"Overruled," the man called back calmly. "France."

Harry laughed the entire way to the entrance hall, ignoring the incredulous eyes watching him.


	65. Chapter 65

CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE:

Amelia looked up from the center of the courtroom in satisfaction. The full Wizengamot was gathered there as expected, some seeming irritated by the constant demand of their time and others filled with purpose. Behind the members of the Wizengamot was a section for the public, and it was this that satisfied Amelia – for it was nearly empty but for the reporters and photographers that reported on the trials each day.

"Good morning, members of the Wizengamot," she addressed the room, having already informed Madam Longbottom of the day's plans and been told drily that she could make the announcement herself. "Today we will depart slightly from the routine. Instead of a Death Eater trial, today's trial is that of Albus Dumbledore."

Immediate uproar was the hall's response, and she saw that even Harry looked blindsided. He pulled himself together quickly, however, and when he stood silence gradually fell over the gathering.

"I called for this trial," he said calmly, holding up a hand for silence when voices immediately rang out at his statement. "The reasons will soon become apparent, I promise," Harry looked at the members around him with conviction. "However, I had hoped that the Hogwarts professors, at the very least, could attend this trial. I understand your reasons for announcing this so suddenly, but I think the professors should have the option of sitting in on the trial of their long-time employer." His gaze was so earnest on Amelia that she knew she couldn't do anything but agree to his request.

"Alright," she said with a wry smile. "But only the professors."

"Only the professors," Harry agreed easily. Pulling out his wand, it was just a moment later that two luminescent stags ran off. Since he only had to think the messages they would be giving, nobody else knew that while one was headed for Hogwarts, the other one was galloping off in search of Rita Skeeter. He definitely wanted her here for this, and hopefully she would think to come in her beetle form.

OoOoO

"Minister Bones," Minerva greeted the younger woman when she arrived, seeming perfectly composed. "Would it be possible for a few Aurors to be posted at Hogwarts for the duration of this trial? I would feel better knowing that the school is under proper supervision while the professors are absent."

Behind her Professors Vector and Burbage exchanged guilty looks, clearly not having thought of the students. The other professors – and Harry wasn't really surprised to see that all but Trelawney and Binns had come – settled into the public booth with quiet murmurs.

"Certainly, Madam McGonagall," Amelia said, promptly sending off a Patronus of her own. "Rest assured that Hogwarts' safety will be placed in capable hands."

"Thank you, Minister," Minerva nodded and joined the other professors in the back.

Once everyone had settled down Madam Longbottom called the session to order. "Lord Potter-Black requested this trial, but rather than bringing up any charges he has asked to lead the questioning along with Mister Shacklebolt, who as the Head of the DMLE will handle the interrogation. I have agreed to this request. Lord Potter-Black, if you would join us in the court while Mister Shacklebolt brings in the accused."

"Thank you, Chief Warlock," Harry said as he made his way down from his seat. As he walked down the steps he caught a glimpse of green out of the corner of his eye, immediately understanding that Rita had just attached herself to him. _I'll have to teach her the spell to extract photos from a pensieve memory,_ he thought when he realized that her photographer was unlikely to be in the public booth. Besides, she would get far better images from her close-up memory than from that distance.

Kingsley reentered the room just as Harry assumed his place between Amelia's and Kingsley's chairs, levitating Dumbledore's infirmary bed in while Poppy Pomfrey looked on disapprovingly. Harry briefly debated taking the spells off her before the trial, then decided that removing them once the room knew what he was doing, and why, would be more effective. The courtroom meanwhile buzzed with speculation, not least about Dumbledore's injury. They had of course all caught the mention of his impending death in the Daily Prophet some days before, but reading about it and seeing the former hero reduced to such a frail state were two different things.

Dumbledore was awake, and seemed aware of what was going on around him, if his forced unconcern was to be believed. Underneath that Harry knew that he must be fuming and trying frantically to think of a way out of this. Dumbledore would know just as well as Harry did that Veritaserum would work all too well on him, considering the state he was in. There was simply no way his Occlumency would be strong enough to give even vague answers or half-truths. _Perfect,_ Harry thought vindictively.

"Augusta," Dumbledore said genially as his bed was lowered to the right of her pulpit, placing the Chief Warlock between the accused and the accuser. "How are you finding my old post?"

Madam Longbottom bristled slightly at the older man's wording. "So far I find my position to be a great honor and a great responsibility, one that I am glad to fulfill in this time of change," she replied stiffly before turning to her papers, shuffling them as though she was searching for a particular one. "You have been informed as to the reason of your appearance here?" she asked without looking up from her papers.

"Yes, though I can't help but feel that there has been a mistake somewhere; I can't think of any reasons why I would be tried before the full Wizengamot," Albus replied with a small, and perfectly believable frown. "Hopefully we can clear up the misunderstanding soon; I understand that there are still many Death Eaters left to try."

"While that is true," Augusta said, finally looking over – and down – at that day's accused, "the request for this trial was made by Lord Potter-Black, and so far the man has brought to light a great many things we did not know about previously. As such, I doubt that a mistake has been made, but we should find out shortly enough." With that she turned away from the dumbstruck man, facing the courtroom. "Today's date is March eighteenth, nineteen ninety six. The trial of the day is that of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, as requested by Lord Harry Potter-Black. Mister Shacklebolt, if you would administer the Veritaserum."

"Now, Augusta, is that truly necessary?" Dumbledore interjected, attempting to sound persuasive. "I'm sure we can resolve this without resorting to such methods."

"And yet it will be resolved, as you call it, far faster with the help of the truth serum," Augusta said immovably. "Please proceed, Shacklebolt."

Albus then turned to the man approaching him. "Kingsley, you're not truly going to dose me against my will?" he asked, disappointed sadness tinting his voice and giving the Order member pause.

"I am sure you have nothing to worry about, Albus," the man said in his bass voice as he stepped up to Dumbledore's bed. "This will take but a few minutes and then I'll personally escort you back to Hogwarts. If you would just open your mouth and tip back your head…"

"My boy-"

"You'll have to force him, Kingsley," Harry interrupted the old man impatiently. "He'll argue against it till he's blue in the face – a clear sign of a guilty conscience, Albus," he pointed out to his former headmaster. "Refusing to take Veritaserum just shows that you have something to hide."

"I am simply worried about our rights," Dumbledore replied evenly, managing to raise a hand to indicate the Wizengamot before him. "What does it say about the Ministry if they can force anyone to take Veritaserum?"

"It says that the Ministry is concerned with getting the truth and ensuring a fair trial for all," Harry responded promptly. "Just think of Sirius – had he been given Veritaserum, or even a trial at all, the Ministry never would have locked up an innocent man in Azkaban."

Startled exclamations filled the hall, and Harry blinked up at the Wizengamot. "Oh. I had forgotten that Sirius's innocence hasn't been proven yet."

"Order!" Madam Longbottom rapped her gavel sharply on the pulpit. "Sirius Black will have his own trial another day. Let us proceed with the current trial. Shacklebolt, the Veritaserum."

"Yes, ma'am," the Auror said promptly, obeying the order without further hesitation. Three drops in Dumbledore's mouth and Kingsley recorked the vial, stepping back and asking the usual test questions before nodding to Augusta. "He is dosed, Chief Warlock."

"Excellent. Lord Potter-Black, you are free to begin the questioning."

"Thank you, Madam Longbottom," Harry bowed slightly as Kingsley made his way over to stand on Harry's right. "Albus Dumbledore, what potions did you have the Hogwarts house elves dose the food with?"

"Fealty potions," the old wizard answered immediately, his expression and voice perfectly blank. He didn't even have the strength to put up a fight against the Veritaserum.

Harry didn't look at anyone else, but he could see both Madam Longbottom's and Amelia's reactions out of the corner of his eye, since they were between him and Dumbledore. Augusta's face seemed slightly pinched at the suggestion that her grandson had been dosed with any potion, while Amelia's gaze had sharpened on Dumbledore. She had known about Dumbledore using potions and spells, of course, but Harry hadn't mentioned that the man was dosing her niece as well.

"Which Houses did you dose with fealty potion, and who or what were these potions keyed to?"

Dumbledore stared straight ahead unseeingly as he replied, "All Houses are dosed with fealty potions towards their House; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw also have fealty potions keyed to me."

"The house elves are no longer adding the potions to the food," Harry spoke to Madam Longbottom, "but the potions will need some time to wear off." Turning back to Dumbledore, he asked, "List the spells and potions you have Minerva McGonagall under the influence of."

"Compulsion charms, fealty potions."

"Specify what the compulsion charms and fealty potions were for."

"I cast a compulsion charm to keep Minerva from questioning me, one to ensure that she would place Gryffindors before the other students, another so that she would dislike all Slytherins," mutters and hisses interrupted the wizard briefly, "and fealty potions keyed to me, Gryffindor House, and the Order of the Phoenix."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Wouldn't the fealty potion keyed to you and the compulsion charm keeping her from questioning you have been enough? Why go to the extra effort of maintaining more spells and brewing more potions?"

"I needed her to put the Gryffindors over all others."

"Why? As Deputy Headmistress, shouldn't she have been neutral and fair to all students equally?"

"No; the Gryffindors are more important than the other students."

Harry was tempted to sneer at the man, but kept his expression to a stony one. "What House were you in?"

"Slytherin."

Harry snorted even while several gasps rang out in the hall. "Figures. Why did you hide which House you were in, and why do you believe Gryffindor to be better than the other Houses?"

"I learned that power was a dangerous thing and something that I couldn't be trusted with."

"And yet you seemed to forget that lesson pretty quickly," Harry said drily. "What taught you that?"

"When Ariana died in a fight between Aberforth, Gellert and me," came the emotionless answer.

"Explain who Ariana, Aberforth and Gellert are."

"Ariana Dumbledore was my sister, Aberforth Dumbledore is my brother, and Gellert Grindlewald was my lover."

The hall erupted into chaos, voices yelling, a few members screaming and some sitting there in shock.

"Order!" Madam Longbottom called, but both her voice and the sound of the gavel were not as firm as they had been previously. "Let us hear this to the end."

"Thank you, Chief Warlock," Harry nodded to her and waited for silence to fall once more. Calm would be too much to ask for, and indeed not something he wanted.

"What happened between you and Gellert Grindelwald then?"

"We went our separate ways," Dumbledore replied. "I had realized that we wanted different things."

"But together you had been plotting to take control of the wizarding world and bring Muggles under your thumb, correct? I believe you both came up with the phrase 'for the greater good' to describe the subjugation of non-magicals."

"Wizards are clearly superior to Muggles; we would have treated them fairly," said Dumbledore, and it could almost have been considered a counterargument were he not thoroughly dosed with truth serum. Mutters filled the hall as people realized that their Light Lord truly believed that they were superior to Muggles – a belief he had always opposed – and still seemed to think that Grindelwald would have treated Muggles fairly.

"Why did you duel Grindelwald years later?"

"His quest had gotten out of hand, and too many people were suffering. I was the only one capable of stopping him, but hesitated because of what he was to me, and because I wanted to believe that he could still succeed at establishing a peaceful society."

Harry sounded conversational as he said, "I once read something interesting about Grindelwald. I quote, 'Like many sociopaths before and since, his idealism was genuine and he was capable of real human connection and feelings, but he was filled with intrinsic manipulative traits and the willingness to use them for his own purposes, as well as a malleable moral compass and a tendency to become dangerous when indulged with power'." In his mind he could see Hermione's blank look at him actually quoting something word-for-word, but that was the only text he knew perfectly by heart – because it had struck him as Dumbledore's character exactly.

"The thing that made me remember this quote is that it seemed to describe not only Grindelwald, but you yourself. If the definition of a sociopath is having genuine idealism, a capacity for 'real human connection and feelings' as well as manipulative traits and a 'tendency to become dangerous when indulged with power', then you are a sociopath, Albus Dumbledore."

"I did not seek power," Dumbledore replied numbly, either having perceived a question somewhere in Harry's statement or forcing himself to counter. "I was a mere Transfiguration teacher. Eventually the post of Hogwarts Headmaster fell to me, and I accepted it, as well as the posts of Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump, when I realized that the wizarding world needed me."

"And yet you abused that trust by manipulating the people around you, even students that had no means to defend themselves against your manipulations." There was no reply to that, so Harry continued, "Have you dosed anyone in the Wizengamot with either potions or spells?"

"Yes," came the condemning answer.

"Elaborate," Harry ordered simply.

"I had spells and potions on Harry Potter-Black," was Dumbledore's simple answer.

Harry hummed with a nod. "You did not influence anyone else on the Wizengamot?"

"No."

"What spells and potions did you have Lord Potter-Black under?" Kingsley chimed in, a shocked expression appearing on his face at Dumbledore's answer.

"Fealty potions keyed to Gryffindor House, Molly Weasley, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Minerva McGonagall, and me; compulsion charms to ensure he'd dislike Slytherins and Severus Snape; suppression charms to bury his Slytherin tendencies, keep him from seeking out additional friends outside Granger and Weasley, and prevent him standing up to his relatives. Also a self-invented spell to dull his sense of caution and self-preservation."

"He also dosed me with a love potion, but thankfully he hasn't used that on Harry yet," the time traveler added conversationally. "I removed the spells from Harry when I first made it back to this timeline, but the potions probably haven't worn off yet. I would have removed the spells from everyone Dumbledore bespelled, but it seemed wiser to keep them up as proof. Dumbledore, list the spells and potions you have affecting Kingsley Shacklebolt," he addressed the wizard lying in the middle of the room.

"A fealty potion and a compulsion spell to keep him loyal to me over the Ministry," the old man replied monotonously, and Kingsley immediately pulled his wand and cast a detecting charm over himself.

"It's coming up blank," he said, his bass voice sounding unnerved.

"You need a specialized charm," Harry replied with a wry smile. "I'm not sure whether he modified the spells and potions so that they wouldn't be detectable, but the only person I know who knows the charm is Poppy Pomfrey." Looking at Madam Longbottom, he suggested, "Maybe she could join us down here for a minute? She should be sitting with the other professors in the public booth."

Augusta Longbottom raised her head to look in the direction of the Hogwarts professors. "If Madam Pomfrey could join us in the court." A white-clad figure stood and made her way down, briskly casting at Kingsley as soon as she reached him. A bright light flashed and she pulled a parchment out of her pocket, pointing her wand at it and taking a thorough look at the results.

"It's as Albus said," she supplied with a pinched expression. "Traces of a fealty potion and an active compulsion spell."

"Thank you, Poppy," Harry said smoothly. "Please cast the spell on yourself as well."

The look she turned on him was decidedly unsettled. "Nobody would cast character-influencing spells on a mediwitch unless they wished for the witch to die," she said, but Harry saw her wand hand twitching slightly.

"Please cast the spell anyway," he insisted evenly, and despite her dubious expression she complied. Again, a bright light flashed, and when her wand had transferred the results to the parchment she paled.

"How could you," she whispered, looking up at Dumbledore with wide eyes. Only the steadying hand Kingsley lay on her arm kept her from sinking to the floor.

"I can remove the spells from you now, if you'd like," Harry said gently, and she shook herself slightly.

"No need," she said curtly, raising her wand and dealing with the spells herself. Immediately after she turned to Kingsley and repeated the process on him.

"Merlin, that felt odd," Kingsley blinked. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey."

The woman simply nodded, then turned to Dumbledore. "Did you bespell all Hogwarts staff?"

"No," the old man replied.

"As far as I know they're all under fealty potions, but only the Heads of Houses have spells on them," Harry told her. "Severus removed the spells and potions affecting him some time ago, so you don't have to concern yourself with him."

The look she gave him was more reading than he'd been subjected to in a while, but she thanked him before heading back up to the public box.

"I'm sure Severus would prefer not to be singled out from the other Hogwarts staff," Harry said in an undertone to the beetle he knew must be somewhere nearby, "but perhaps it could be hinted at that his terrible teaching style is the result of compulsion charms Dumbledore had on him…" His suggestion made, Harry looked back over at Dumbledore, ignoring the searching look Amelia had turned on him at his muttered words.

"Did you have former Minister Fudge under any potions or spells?" he asked, because it did have to be asked – he didn't like Fudge, nor did he want anyone excusing his incompetence and gross mistakes as brought about by Dumbledore, but this was supposed to be a fair trial.

"No," Dumbledore replied, to Harry's hidden satisfaction.

"Do you have any potions in the tea or lemon drops you offer visitors?" Harry had long wondered about that, but not thought to ask it the last time he interrogated the aging wizard.

"Yes, calming draught."

"Why?"

"It calms upset visitors and lends a feeling of security, leading them to trust me subconsciously."

"Lovely," Harry said drily. Turning to Augusta, he said, "I think that's about it on the influencing angle. I have several personal charges to bring up against him, but first I would like to accuse him of gross neglect concerning his responsibilities as Hogwarts Headmaster."

"Your reasoning being?" the woman asked, and Harry mused that she truly was a woman of few words.

"Since the year I started Hogwarts, 1991, the students have faced mortal peril each year, in a manner that Dumbledore could have done something to prevent it in each instance."

"Please elaborate," Madam Longbottom asked, her gaze intent on the time traveler now. Her own grandson attended that school and yet she'd never had the impression that he was in any danger.

"I doubt this is public knowledge, since Dumbledore kept it as quiet as he could, but in my first year the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Quirinus Quirrell, was possessed by Voldemort." Shocked interjections rang through the hall at both the name of the dead Dark Lord and due to the accusation. Harry remained silent, holding Augusta's eye until quiet settled once more.

"The man was, as far as I could tell, only at Hogwarts because Dumbledore thought keeping the Philosopher's Stone there would make for a wonderful trap. However," he raised his voice to be heard over the audience's exclamations, "the obstacles he laid to protect the stone were easily overcome by three first year students, and definitely stood no chance of keeping a Dark Lord from reaching the stone."

"What happened to Quirrell?" Augusta asked sharply, and Harry took only a split-second to consider what to say. He didn't want anyone to be able to say that his younger self had killed a man in his first year; he couldn't care less what they thought of him, but his younger self was more vulnerable, especially considering all the crap he'd been through in the past.

"Quirrell died when Voldemort," again those stupid gasps, "fled his body and escaped. I don't know what Dumbledore might have done with the professor's remains, but fact is that Quirrell died. Now, this situation didn't put anyone in mortal peril but me, since Voldemort tried to kill me when I tried to protect the stone, but what did put the rest of the student body in mortal peril was when Quirrell loosed a mountain troll in the school on Halloween and it nearly killed a student. Hermione Granger only survived because Ron and I went to her rescue, killing the troll in the process."

All of the court was staring at him now. "How did you manage to kill a mountain troll in your first year?" Amelia managed to ask the question everyone seemed to be thinking.

Harry grimaced and gestured at Dumbledore. "You heard the list of spells he had on me. Had I been in my right mind I might have told a teacher where Hermione was and insisted they go make sure she's alright, but instead I ran headlong towards danger, not stopping to think that I had absolutely no means of defending myself against a troll. I survived by dumb luck – and because Ron managed to levitate the troll's club and keep it from killing me."

Silence fell until Harry sighed. "Anyway, that was my first year. In my second year a Basilisk ran rampant through the school, petrifying students." The horrified look Amelia was giving him made him pause. "Don't tell me you didn't even know what was doing it!" he exclaimed in exasperation. The slow shake of her head gave him all the answer he needed. "Alright, well, it was a Basilisk. Surprise? So that definitely put the entire school at risk. I killed it at the end of the year, when it took Ginny Weasley down into the Chamber of Secrets. Yes, I killed a Basilisk, and I nearly died doing it," he gestured impatiently. "My point is that Dumbledore probably knew that it was a Basilisk doing it, and even knew where the Chamber of Secrets was – since exactly the same thing happened when he was still a Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts. That time a student named Myrtle died, and had he asked her she could have told him quite easily that the Basilisk had come from the sink in the bathroom she haunts. So instead of sending a second-year to deal with the problem, he really could have closed the school for a day, called in some specialists, and had them deal with the monster."

He paused for a minute to let them digest that information, then spoke on. "In my third year Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban, and Minister Fudge placed Dementors around the school. They were out of control and nearly killed students more than once – and that could have been prevented by Dumbledore arranging for a trial for Sirius. You see, he knew the entire time that the man was innocent – and must have known that Sirius would jump at the chance to have a fair trial and prove his innocence. Instead he kept quiet and let the world believe they were in danger, even endangering his charges with his actions. That was my third year."

Seeing that everyone was too shocked to say anything, he shrugged and continued. "In my fourth year Dumbledore brought the Triwizard Tournament to Hogwarts, a dangerous competition that went very wrong. I was entered into the competition by Barty Crouch Jr., who was using Polyjuice Potion to look like Alastor Moody. I can't believe that Dumbledore wouldn't realize that his long-time friend was a polyjuiced Death Eater, especially when the man taught his classes about the Unforgivables by casting the Imperius curse on each student individually." That statement did get shocked reactions from audience members, most notably Augusta, who seemed both numb and livid at the revelation that her grandson had been at the mercy of the man who had tortured his parents into insanity.

"Looking back, I find it amazing that Cedric Diggory was the only student to die that year, though I don't want to make light of that loss." He looked up and caught Amos Diggory's eye. "Cedric was an amazing guy, and he would not have died had Dumbledore exposed Crouch for who he was, that way preventing the man from turning the Triwizard Cup into a portkey and taking us directly to Voldemort." Harry was pleased when nobody reacted to the mention of the dead wizard's assumed name – they were probably too shocked by his revelations to react to it anymore. "Only once I had come back with Cedric's dead body and news of Voldemort's return did Dumbledore expose Crouch for who he was – only for Minister Fudge to bring in a Dementor to administer the Kiss instead of arresting the man for trial." Amelia looked furious at that revelation, and Harry shrugged wryly. "Story of my life."

"In my fifth year," he went on, "Minister Fudge decided to place Umbridge at Hogwarts. We've already been over this, so everyone here knows how she endangered the student body. In this case I again think it unlikely that Dumbledore knew nothing, and if he did know about her actions he should have brought her before the Wizengamot, as I did. He did not, and students suffered under her rule. That brings us to this present, and I think that's everything I have to say about his actions as Hogwarts Headmaster. I also have personal charges to bring up against him, but we might want to deal with these accusations first." A look at Dumbledore had his eyebrows shooting up. "I guess the Veritaserum wore off."

The old wizard was unconscious in the white hospital bed, his glasses nearly slipping off the crooked nose and his blackened hand hanging unusably off the side of the bed. Kingsley strode forward to wake the man and dose him once more; they all wanted answers.

A/N: Boy, this is a long chapter! Haven't had one this long since Chapter 2 (though even that one is shorter). Since this chapter is so long I'll have a small break in posting sometime soon – it's harder to keep up with the daily updates when the chapters get longer. (I don't have any chapters written after the end of Dumbledore's trial, but maybe I'll get some writing done now that it's the weekend!) Do let me know what you think about the chapter. Dumbledore's trial continues in the next chapter, and I've already decided on a verdict. Though I'm tempted to lock him up with Rita Skeeter till he dies *giggle* Why shouldn't she write that book, after all? I'm sure it'll be even better with Veritaserum statements from the man himself… ;)  
One more thing. I've completely ignored the Hallows so far and rather than have someone ask Dumbledore during the second part of the trial why he put on the ring and open that barrel of monkeys I think I'll have Rita ask him at some point in the future and include it in her book as a delusion of the old man's. Whether the Hallows are real or not is anyone's guess then, and Harry destroyed the stone anyway, so that should make it pretty superfluous ;) Then you can decide for yourselves whether Harry's cloak is the invisibility cloak of legend or not!


	66. Chapter 66

CHAPTER SIXTY SIX:

Harry wondered when the trial had ended up being run solely by him and Kingsley. Amelia and Madam Longbottom, both higher-ranking than the two men, where too far in a state of shock to do much – which Harry could understand, since they both had charges at the school. He and Kingsley had just finished questioning Dumbledore about the recent events at Hogwarts, and (as Harry had already known), Dumbledore admitted to knowing about everything happening in and around Hogwarts, including a condemning statement concerning the events he didn't stop:

"I did it to train Harry Potter. He needed to be well-honed and ready to do anything necessary to take out Voldemort."

Knowing that Dumbledore had wanted him to die in the attempt, Harry smoothly asked, "In what ways did you ensure that I would die by the end of the war?" The audience couldn't get any more shocked than they already were, otherwise that question would have gotten some reaction from them.

"I knew that Voldemort couldn't die until Harry was dead and intended to tell Harry just before the defeat of Voldemort was attainable. Harry, under the self-sacrificing spell I invented for him, would have given his life without hesitation. He would have died a hero."

"What would you have done with the Potter name and properties after my death?" If anyone was unnerved at hearing him talk so easily about his own death, they didn't show it.

"By then he would have been married to Ginny Weasley, and upon Harry's death the Potter vaults and properties would have gone to his magical guardian, which happens to be me. The newly widowed girl would have received half while I kept the rest."

"So you intended for me to die before my 17th Birthday," stated Harry, no question in his tone.

"Yes. Miss Weasley would still have become Lady Potter upon her 17th Birthday."

"Poor Ginny. She didn't and would never know about the love potion, am I right?"

"Yes," Dumbledore replied dully. "I had no intention of informing anyone."

"Lovely."

"Have you used love potions on anyone else?" Kingsley interjected, turning the topic back to more general questions.

"Yes," came the answer Harry had expecting, knowing that Severus, at least, had been dosed with a love serum.

"List the people you dosed and who the potions were keyed to," the Head of the DMLE ordered, hiding his distaste for the old man before him.

"Maurizio Zabini and Jillian Thomas," the man began, and Harry's jaw dropped. Wasn't that Dean Thomas's mother?

"Lily Evans, keyed to James Potter," Harry's jaw snapped shut with an audible click, sudden tenseness radiating from his frame.

"Severus Snape, keyed to Lily Evans; Michael Boor and Guinevere Veritas; Jennifer Joplin, keyed to Frank Rudolfs," Dumbledore went on to list several other pairings that Harry had never heard of.

"What was the purpose of these love potions?" Kingsley asked when the former headmaster had finished the long list of victims.

"The initial pairing between Zabini and Thomas was to see whether a magically powerful child would come from the union of a Pureblood and a Muggle," Dumbledore began dully, and the audience stirred in response. The old man however continued obliviously, "When that union produced Dean Thomas, a half-blood with more magical potential than the pure-blood children, but not as much as other half-bloods, I dosed several other couples and await the results. Lily Evans was given a love potion because the children of two such powerful people could only have positive results, and because James needed to be kept happy. Severus was dosed so that he would keep loyal to the Light even once his love was dead."

Silence fell. Eventually Kingsley said, "There's so much wrong with that that I don't even know where to start."

"Then don't," Harry said, his voice brittle. "Tell me, Dumbledore – you wanted both the Potters and the Longbottoms dead, didn't you."

"Yes," was the incriminating answer.

"Why," the last remaining Potter asked, already suspecting what the answer was.

"They could not be left to raise the child of prophecy."

"What prophecy?" Madam Longbottom asked, seeming to snap out of her shock now that her grandson was involved.

"A prophecy was made to me by Sybill Trelawney, speaking of a child born 'as the seventh month ends' that would have the power to defeat the Dark Lord. As a child born to 'those who have thrice defied' Voldemort, only the Potters and Longbottoms could be the parents."

"You knew that Peter Pettigrew was the spy in the Order, didn't you?" Harry asked, his voice almost trembling under the effort of remaining calm. He had known, of course, that once his parents were betrayed Dumbledore had known who did it, but the knowledge that Dumbledore had set his parents up to die…

"Yes."

Harry sat down abruptly, knowing that if he didn't put some space between himself and the bastard he would end up killing him. Folding his arms, he nearly hugged himself as he tried to bring back up his Occlumency and restore calm to his mind. Meanwhile, Kingsley continued the questioning.

"So you framed the Potters and the Longbottoms?"

"I merely helped things along to their eventual conclusion," came the maddeningly careless reply. Harry tried to tell himself that it was the Veritaserum that gave Dumbledore's voice that careless note, but it wasn't helping his anger any.

It was Kingsley's next question that enabled him to pull together his Occlumency and restore a false calm over his actions. "Why did you let an innocent man be placed in Azkaban while the true traitor went free?"

Harry stood up just as Dumbledore replied dully, "It was my hope that Peter would find a way to aid Voldemort in finding a new body. While it took longer than I had expected it to, the boy did eventually manage it."

"Why did you place me in a place with no wards as protection while growing up?" Harry asked, his voice once again controlled and level. Kingsley gave him a surprised look at that news; everyone in the Order knew about the blood wards protecting Harry Potter.

"It is not my fault that the blood wards failed," Dumbledore replied, and Harry tilted his head slightly.

"No, I'm sure it's not your fault at all that I was placed with a family that hated me. I wonder how you thought blood wards could exist in a place where blood was the only thing linking me and my relatives."

"Blood is thicker than water," the old manipulator countered, and Harry snorted.

"'The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb'," Harry corrected. "It means that relationships formed by choice are stronger than those formed by birth." Quoted almost verbatim from the time Hermione had corrected Ron about that same saying. It would have surprised Harry that Dumbledore, with all his age and experience, would have the quote wrong – if not for the suspicion that he used the quote wrong on purpose.

"As long as Harry called Privet Drive home, the blood wards would have remained."

"But Harry and I never considered Privet Drive home," Harry replied drily.

"That is no failing of mine," Dumbledore replied evenly, and Harry's face twitched.

Turning to the man on his right, he said, "That seems like a good place to segue to the personal accusations. Is there anything else you'd like to ask before that?" he asked Kingsley.

The man considered the question for a minute, regarding the man he used to respect with a pensive gaze. "Nothing comes to mind," he said eventually. "What accusations do you want to level against him?"

"I was just going to start asking him questions; my accusations will soon become obvious, I think," Harry replied with a snort. "Is that alright?"

"Go ahead," Kingsley invited, turning his level gaze on Harry. "I am interested in seeing what other crimes this man may have committed."

With a grimace Harry turned to Dumbledore and asked questions he'd heard the answers to before. The hall simply watched on in silence as Harry exposed that Dumbledore had placed an infant Harry with magic-hating Muggles. Dumbledore admitted to knowing about the Dursleys' abusive and neglectful behavior towards Harry, revealing that he had an Order member watching over him: Mrs. Figg was of course dosed regularly with fealty potion and reported everything back to Dumbledore but never went to the proper authorities because he convinced her not to. When Dumbledore mentioned obliviating Minerva of the knowledge that Harry's Hogwarts letter was addressed to "The Cupboard under the Stairs" Harry turned to face their mute audience.

"I lived in that cupboard until I received that letter, but I would prefer if that knowledge did not become public. In fact, I would prefer if news that I grew up abused did not leave this room – I couldn't care less who knows, but my younger self doesn't need that kind of complication to his life. He will not be going back to the Dursleys, and it's a part of our life we would prefer to simply ignore. The wizarding public has never given us any privacy and we've come to expect that, but on this topic I ask you to leave us our privacy. I don't want any newspaper articles painting us as unloved children that need to be shown affection, nor whispers about the terrible Muggles we grew up with, or any attempts to give the Dursleys what they deserve. Harry and I will decide together whether to report them to the appropriate Muggle authorities, and we would prefer no interference from the wizarding world. Please just ignore the Dursleys and focus on the fact that Dumbledore placed us somewhere with only a letter and a drugged squib to keep an eye on us."

That said, Harry let silence fall until he had seen on most faces that they would honor his request. Smiling crookedly, he added, "Thank you."

He turned back to Dumbledore, but before he could ask his next question Kingsley interrupted him. "Why did Dumbledore say earlier that you would have to die before Voldemort," there was a slight hesitation before he said the name, but Harry knew that calling him 'Snake Face' would hardly be appropriate, "could die? Does that mean that he isn't actually dead?"

"Oh, he is," Harry assured him before anyone could get worried. "Dumbledore thought I would have to die before Voldemort could because the night I became the Boy-Who-Lived, a sliver of Voldemort's soul actually got stuck to me." Kingsley looked nauseous at the thought, and Harry shrugged with a blank expression. "The goblins have a ritual to remove and destroy soul shards from objects – or people – so I underwent that. I assure you that Voldemort is quite dead." Harry suddenly remembered that he still had both Voldemort and Nagini's dead bodies in the pocket of one of his robes and made a mental note to destroy that. _How careless of me,_ he thought with a mental chuckle. _How could I forget about that?_

"I'm pretty sure he would have found a way for me to die anyway, though," he added. "No need to have another so-called 'Light Lord' around when the wizarding world already has him, right?" At Kingsley's incredulous look he chuckled, finding his mental equilibrium restored. "Not that I consider myself a Light Lord – I just want to finish up here and go on a very, very long vacation. I'd like to think that I work well with power and responsibility, but I'd really rather not be Minister of Magic or anything like that. Amelia's much better for the position, and I hope that wizarding Britain won't put so much of their faith in a single figure again after this. None of us are infallible, but the Minister of Magic at least is voted into office and can be voted out again. Power to the people!"

Realizing that he had gone rather off topic, Harry cleared his throat. "Anyway, where was I? Oh, right," he turned back to Dumbledore, ignoring the bemused looks he was getting. Though Kingsley seemed more appreciative than bemused.

"One thing I definitely want to accuse Dumbledore of is hoarding important information," he said. "The biggest piece of information he really should have revealed decades ago is Voldemort's true identity – had his followers only known who Voldemort truly was, there might never have been a war at all." Seeing that nobody had any idea what he was talking about, he addressed Dumbledore. "Tell us about Tom Marvolo Riddle."

"Tom was a half-blood orphan, the son of Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle Senior," Dumbledore began obediently, "His mother was the pure-blood daughter of Marvolo and Lucille Gaunt, and a direct descendent of Salazar Slytherin. Tom Riddle Senior was a Muggle, the son of the local squire. I believe that Merope, whose love for Tom was not returned, used a love potion to ensnare the handsome young man. When she became pregnant with his child she stopped giving him the potion, hoping that he would stay with her, but he abandoned her and she died giving birth to his son. Her last words were to a woman at Wool's Orphanage, telling her the boy's name and saying that she hoped he would look like his father before dying. Tom Riddle Junior grew up in the orphanage, and discovered magic at a young age. When I brought him his Hogwarts letter he told me that he'd always known he was special, and that he could hurt people with his power. It didn't occur to me at the time, but now I believe that he was a murderer even before going to Hogwarts."

Dumbledore continued on in the same monotone, no emotion showing through the Veritaserum. "At Hogwarts he hid his darker side well, for he was a charismatic boy. He was hard-working and gifted, and knew how to get on the professors' good sides. He rapidly gained a following in the school, and eventually framed Rubeus Hagrid for the death of Myrtle Kubridge, leading to the half-giant's expulsion. By the end of his time at Hogwarts Tom had chosen a new name for himself, an anagram of his full name." Harry helpfully cast the same spell Voldemort had cast in the Chamber of Secrets, writing the name in fiery letters and rearranging them to read 'I am Lord Voldemort'.

"That's enough, thank you," he interrupted Dumbledore's further words. "So you see," he turned to Augusta, who was watching the proceedings intently, "Voldemort was actually a half-blood orphan – not quite a bastard, since his parents _were_ married, though I'm not sure a love potion should count – and he promoted pure-blood supremacy, claiming that Muggles were lesser humans and Muggleborns not worthy of living. I wonder how many Purebloods would have joined his cause had they known that the man branding them like cattle was someone they considered a lesser being by blood? Voldemort himself proved that the idea of pure blood being magically stronger is wrong, though – in fact, all the strongest wizards of this time seem to be half-bloods. Tom Riddle was a half-blood, as is Albus Dumbledore," he gestured at the blank man, "and I myself am I so-called 'half-blood'. At Hogwarts, too, many of the magically strongest professors are half-bloods: Headmistress McGonagall, Professor Flitwick and Professor Snape are all of mixed blood. But let's not get into that discussion right now." Gesturing at Dumbledore once more, whose appearance looked even more ragged since he had been forced to take a second dose of truth serum, he said, "I trust you see my point about keeping vital information secret. Perhaps knowing Voldemort's true identity wouldn't have removed the problem, but it would quite possibly have prevented the full-out war it escalated into."

Madam Longbottom sighed, giving the man to her left a hard look. "Yes, I quite see what you mean, and I believe we all agree that this man is guilty of a great many crimes." She paused, turning her head to look at Harry. "Did you have anything to add to the many surprises you have already revealed?"

Harry hummed in thought. "I suppose that's about it. I do wonder, though – what has he been up to these past few days? Apparently he's been dictating a large amount of notes alone in the Hospital Wing, but nobody knows what he's planning. It would probably be best to make sure that he isn't planning an unpleasant surprise for us."

"A very good point, Lord Potter-Black," Augusta acknowledged, looking at Dumbledore shrewdly. "Mister Shacklebolt, if you would? It is officially still your questioning, after all."

"Thank you, Chief Warlock. Albus Dumbledore, summarize for us what you've been writing, and what your plans are."

Harry's gaze sharpened on the dying man as he saw him resist the truth serum for the first time. "I have been putting my affairs in order," came the glib answer.

"What affairs?" Harry and Kingsley asked simultaneously, both having recognized the evasion.

"My will and letters to friends," was the answer.

"That was far too smooth an answer," Harry said to Kingsley without taking his narrowed eyes off Dumbledore. "Do you think the Veritaserum has worn off?"

"Possible," Kingsley said, keeping his eyes on the accused as he cast a quick Tempus. "Yes; it's been just over an hour. That was a very smooth transition," he sounded almost appreciative.

"It doesn't matter whether he was still dosed while telling us about Voldemort's background," Harry thought out loud, "since I can confirm that everything he said was true. I'd say that the Veritaserum ran off just after that. Do we go another dose? We could just look at his notes, after all, and make sure that he's secure somewhere where he can't harm anyone. He definitely shouldn't stay at Hogwarts."

"Agreed," Kingsley said immediately. "A secure, guarded location seems for the best. Perhaps we should go another three drops just to ensure that his plans aren't dangerous; it would be unwise to place him somewhere only for trouble to come calling."

Harry nodded. "I agree. Three more drops, then?" Neither he nor Kingsley had taken their eyes off the old man before them, and thus neither of them where caught unawares when the man brought up his hand and wandlessly cast magic.

"Protego!" called voices from around the room – most audience members only now noticing the Aurors surrounding the courtroom. Harry meanwhile cast several stunners in the aging wizard's direction, each aimed for a slightly different spot. It was one thing he had learned in the future – always cast more than one spell in case the first one doesn't hit, and never aim for the same spot twice. Kingsley and Amelia's shields neatly covered him as well, keeping him from being hit by Dumbledore's spell.

The old man managed to raise both hands and cast several spells in Harry's direction, all of them stopped by the two Aurors flanking him.

"Go cover Madam Longbottom," Harry hissed to Amelia before jumping over the table and dashing in the opposite direction, circling around to Dumbledore's right side. He narrowly dodged an orange spell and shielded against a turquoise one, sending back a steady stream of stunners that Dumbledore had no choice but to shield against. Then, just after Dumbledore sent a sickly yellow spell his way, the old man sagged against the pillows – for Amelia had hit him in the back with a stunner.

"Thanks, Amelia," Harry said, promptly binding Dumbledore to the bed. "I didn't think he'd be strong enough to cast wandlessly – he must have dropped all the spells he was still maintaining in order to cast at all."

"I think it would be for the best if I placed him in secure holding with a competent guard," the older woman said, straightening her robes with a tug. "A team of Aurors will collect his notes to determine whether his plans are of any danger to us."

"I'll take care of it, Minister," Kingsley said, and she turned to him with a nonplussed expression.

"Right," she said, obviously just remembering that she wasn't the Head of the DMLE anymore. "Thank you, Shacklebolt." The man saluted her, then strode out of the room to organize everything.

Amelia walked back to Madam Longbottom and spoke to her in low tones. "As I understand it, Dumbledore should only have approximately two weeks left to live, so sentencing him to the Veil seems more a mercy than a punishment. The Dementor's Kiss I think should be considered, to be administered either just before his death or as soon as possible, depending on whether his plans are dangerous or not. Azkaban sounds good because there he'll be uncomfortable and away from guards he could bespell, but he would also be rather inaccessible there. I would suggest secure imprisonment with Auror guards until he has been questioned as thoroughly as possible – Lord Potter-Black mentioned the other day that in the future he came from, the reporter Rita Skeeter wrote a book titled 'The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore'. I think it may be a good idea to have her write another such book, exposing the true life of Albus Dumbledore as told under Veritaserum." Her opinion stated, Amelia inclined her head and went back to her seat, unaware that a certain beetle had attached itself to her robes and heard everything the Minister had just said. If Rita Skeeter had anything to say about it such a book would be available to the public before Albus Dumbledore was due for a Kiss.

A/N: Moi, I love you. What a great review on the last chapter! I built in some of your suggestions, as I'm sure you noticed, and your ideas may be explained in greater detail (and sensationalism!) in Rita's book. Harry could also have brought up Dumbledore's manipulation during Severus's school years, but since there was more than enough other evidence against the man I think he tried to spare Severus as much as possible. Amazing ideas about 'breeding' the wizarding population, and I have been deliberating for a while whether to say Lily was under the effects of a love potion or not. As you can see, I decided to go for it – and poor Harry. Finding out that your mother didn't actually love your father… Well, let's just say it makes him even more similar to Tom Riddle. I don't doubt that younger Harry will take it horribly, but it's something Hames wouldn't hide from his younger self. Oh, man.  
On this happy note, that's the end of Dumbledore's trial! Hope you liked it.


	67. Chapter 67

CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN:

Minerva sat still as a statue, staring at the door Albus had been taken away through as Augusta Longbottom announced the verdict: Imprisonment for two weeks, then a Dementor's Kiss. So many emotions were warring inside her that she wasn't sure whether she wanted to cry or hit something, and so Minerva sat on the courtroom bench, her posture rigid and her face frozen in a hard expression completely unlike her usual strict demeanor.

"Let's go," Poppy said briskly to her colleagues, placing a firm hand on her friend's shoulder. "There's nothing left to do here."

"Yes," Minerva answered automatically, rising and heading for the door. She felt as though she were walking through water, and yet her sight was sharper than it usually seemed. Her brain, however, appeared stuck on one fact: That Albus, a man she had trusted and loved dearly, had been manipulating her the entire time.

Just then a hand took hers and she looked over to find that Severus had taken her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm. He wasn't looking at her, nor did he say anything, but Minerva felt inexplicably strengthened by the show of support. Here was a man who had also been tricked and manipulated by Albus, and had apparently known of it for some time already, yet who stood as straight and tall as ever. And that simple knowledge had something relaxing within her, finding her standing taller than she had been just a moment before and her face easing back into its usual expression. They walked out that door arm in arm, ignoring the photographers and journalists awaiting them, and made their way back to Hogwarts. Perhaps there Minerva would give in to the tears hiding just below the surface.

OoOoO

Severus led Minerva back to her quarters, keeping his left hand on hers where it rested in the crook of his right arm. He wasn't entirely sure where the urge to support her in such a way had come from, but he had remembered suddenly the way Harry had been grounded by his touch that day he first saw Hogwarts again. Walking with his hands on Minerva's shoulders had been out of the question, but such a formal hold, despite the attention it had attracted, had seemed to him the logical step to take.

"Cha dean cat miotagach sealg," Minerva said to the painting as they reached her quarters, keeping her hold on his arm as she stepped through the entrance.

"I confess to some curiosity regarding your password," Severus said as he walked alongside his older colleague, though he didn't know where she was headed. It was the first time he saw the inside of her quarters. "Does it have a particular meaning?"

To his surprise, the corners of her lips turned up ever so slightly – so little, in fact, that he wouldn't have noticed had he not been watching her. "The English translation is 'a cat in mittens won't catch mice'," she explained, and Severus found his lips twitching as well.

"A fitting choice."

"A motivating one, certainly," she replied drolly, stopping before a small cupboard. "A drink?" she offered, reaching out with her right hand to open the door and revealing three shelves – two with books, the third with an assortment of bottles and glasses.

"Please," Severus accepted the glass she handed him, the shape of it affirming what he already knew: The drink on offer would be scotch whiskey, Minerva's favorite. It also happened to be Lucius's favorite drink – _used to be,_ he reminded himself – so Severus certainly knew the taste of high-quality scotch.

"I can offer you either Talisker or Glenfiddich single-malt scotch whiskey; the first is rather firm and spicy while the Glenfiddich has a more mellow taste," Minerva explained, and he hummed briefly in thought.

"I'll have a dram of the Glenfiddich, please," Severus decided, gesturing slightly at the bottle with his glass. He had never heard of either brand before, but he doubted that Minerva would offer him a subpar scotch. It also hadn't escaped his notice that while the Talisker had a fair amount missing from the bottle, the Glenfiddich was closer to being finished – either a sign that Minerva preferred it to the Talisker, or that she drank it less often and the Talisker was a newer purchase. That she then proceeded to pour them both a dram of the Glenfiddich gave the impression that it was the former.

_Not that it should matter,_ Severus reproached himself for overanalyzing such a thing. _She would hardly judge me for choosing either whiskey._

"This is a lovely scotch," Minerva said as she replaced the bottle and closed the cupboard, "and one I only recently discovered. It's from the Speyside region, which tends to have quite sweet and mellow whiskeys. I'm curious to see how you find it; I had pegged you more for the Talisker," she confessed.

"I have never heard of either, but I am sure that they are both excellent if you chose them," Severus replied smoothly, guiding her to the wide sofa against the wall. Her rooms were quite different from his – bright, due to the large windows, and very homey. The living room was primarily done in beige and red, with the occasional hint of tartan, and a large tapestry of a lion hung on the wall over the sofa. He supposed it had come with the room; there had been a similar tapestry of a snake in his living room until he bade a house elf remove it. It had not been a particularly restful image.

"Why, I never knew you could be such a smooth-talker, Severus," Minerva said, a hint of humor in her voice as she sat down.

"I'm afraid there is much you don't know about me, Minerva," Severus answered, his tone light but a serious note lurking behind it. Minerva caught it and her face instantly tightened.

"What did he have you under?" she asked, no thought given to tact. Severus took no offense; he would have asked as well.

"Much the same as you," he replied, "albeit with strong compulsion charms forcing me to hate Gryffindors, and especially Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and James Potter with a vengeance. And the love potion keyed to Lily Evans," he said, keeping his face perfectly emotionless.

"Yes," her voice shook slightly. "Whatever was that for?"

Severus took a moment to answer that, sniffing several times at his glass without registering the drink's scent. "It was only because of my love for Lily that I agreed to become a spy." He didn't look at Minerva.

"But it was only a potion?" she asked eventually, pain in her voice.

He inclined his head slightly, then turned to look at her. "I am not interested in witches, Minerva."

She grimaced slightly. "Yes, I see. I knew, of course, that Harry is your lover, but I did remember how close you were to Lily…"

"Close, yes," he agreed, "but love was… improbable without the aid of a potion. I unfortunately did not consider that possibility until Harry revealed it to me."

Minerva exhaled slowly. "I am surprised that you didn't kill Albus for it," she said evenly.

Severus raised an eyebrow at her with a slight smirk. "Why Headmistress, are you condoning murder?"

"I am considering it myself," she replied matter-of-factly.

"Ahh, to witness a Gryffindor considering murder," Severus smirked and took the first sip from his glass. Swirling it around in his mouth, he swallowed with a hum. "Indeed, a very nice scotch. It tastes rather more of honey than I had expected."

Minerva let out a huff of exasperation but accepted the change of topic. "I quite like that – especially how the taste of the spices intensifies until you're left with a finish of mild peppercorns," she rejoined, taking a sip of her own dram and relaxing into the sofa with a sigh. Silence fell, but it was neither strained nor companionable; rather a pause for his colleague to gather her thoughts.

"I admit, the morning did not go quite how I had anticipated," the Headmistress confessed quietly. "I find it hard to believe that it is only shortly after the time I would typically have my lunch." Severus merely hummed in reply, leaning back against the backrest. He would see where she was going with this.

"How can you be so calm in the face of his betrayal?" she asked him then, more than a faint note of helplessness in her voice.

Severus turned his head and found their faces rather closer than he was comfortable with. He remained there anyway, regarding her evenly. "Because in my heart, I always knew that he would betray me," he replied honestly. Minerva furrowed her brow, clearly not understanding how he could know that. "Minerva," Severus sighed, turning to look away again, "did you hear what he confessed to at the trial? He dosed all Hogwarts students with fealty potions keyed to him – but for the Slytherins. I believe he has been doing this since I came to Hogwarts, or even before that; simply thinking back to my time as a student here reminds me that all of my classmates adored the Headmaster – all, that is, but the Slytherins. Then, when I became a spy, he began dosing me with that same fealty potion. Even though I trusted him then, experience told me that he was not a man to trust. I may not have admitted it to myself, but I entirely expected him to cast me aside as soon as I had outlived my usefulness."

Next to him Minerva drew in a breath that sounded remarkably close to a sob. "Oh, Severus…"

"However, that does not mean I was calm when I first learned of the spells and potions," the man continued humorlessly. "When they were purged from my system I went and destroyed Spinner's End in my rage. It was no great loss, but the home I grew up in is no more."

"I see," Minerva shivered slightly. "I can certainly understand your reaction."

Severus tilted his head again slightly to look at his colleague's face. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but her face appeared more lined than it had previously, and her hair a shade greyer. Perhaps he had just not looked at her closely enough of late and missed the signs of the pressure she was under.

"I know of a place where you could vent magically, if you so wish," he offered lowly. His reply was a shaky laugh.

"Thank you, Severus, but I don't think expending magical energy will do anything but leave me drained," she replied, a few strands of hair escaping her bun at the shake of her head. "If it weren't so early in the day I would go to bed…"

"There is no reason not to," Severus retorted. "I can offer you several potions if you wish to sleep."

Minerva laughed again. "No, but thank you. I believe I will turn my mind to the future of Hogwarts. It is only now truly apparent to me how much needs to be changed, and planning positive changes will hopefully have a positive impact on my mood as well. I intend to see a different Hogwarts welcoming back students on September 1st."

"A commendable task," Severus nodded. "Harry and I discussed this very topic before; Hermione Granger has the notes."

Minerva snorted. "I should have known that Harry would have considered the topic of Hogwarts; that man is set to change all of wizarding Britain, and preferably all at once instead of step by step!"

"And yet I doubt he could have accomplished even this much had he taken his time with it," Severus countered. Draining his glass and setting it on the side table, the tall man rose to his feet. "I shall leave you to it." A brief hesitation, then, "Will you be announcing the result of Dumbledore's trial at dinner, or let the students find out about it with the Sunday paper?"

Minerva paused, pressing her lips together in thought. "Perhaps it is not the Gryffindor way, but I believe I will take the coward's way out and leave it for tomorrow," she replied eventually.

"There is no cowardice in being better prepared for a situation," Severus replied evenly, and her lips narrowed again in a smile that was tinged with thankfulness.

"No mention to anyone else, then," she said, standing and picking up his empty glass. "I'll see you at dinner, Severus."

He inclined his head silently before turning and leaving. As he stepped into the hallway he remembered that Harry had mentioned that morning the possibility of dealing with the younger Harry's emancipation on this day, so his lover would most likely be busy. Severus had already done his grading, so now he was left with the decision of what to do. Perhaps he should pay Draco a visit.

A/N: Ah, Severus is so good with the ladies, isn't he? Maybe it's the gay male effect. Women do seem to gravitate towards them as friends!  
Hope you enjoyed the insight into Minerva's state of mind! It's a bit tricky sometimes to juggle all the different characters; the more become important figures, the more points of view I have to incorporate. Harry, Severus, younger Harry, Hermione, Minerva, Draco, Sirius, Amelia, Rita, Dumbledore, Ron, Neville, Remus… All of these have things they need to say, information to bring to the table. I think I'm juggling them pretty well – but for Sirius, as I mentioned a few chapters back. Poor guy was cast aside and forgotten about – which perhaps I can work into the story… But for now, Harry, Harry, and the Dursleys. This should be fun… *grins dangerously*  
Also, I won't have to skip any updates after all – I managed to write eight chapters this weekend, so updating won't be a problem!


	68. Chapter 68

CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT:

Severus sighed inwardly as he strode towards Gryffindor Tower, having reluctantly decided on a course of action.

"I require the presence of Dean Thomas," he informed the portrait guarding Gryffindor Tower. The fat lady gave him a wholly ineffectual searching look before yelling at the top of her lungs for the boy.

"Merlin," Severus cursed, clapping his hands over his ears as he took a step back, the A in 'Thomas' still ringing in his ears. "Do you have no better way to summon a student?" he scowled at the portrait.

"PROFESSOR SNAPE IS WAITING!" the fat lady screeched in reply, and the entrance door swung open abruptly.

"Ah, hi Professor," Hermione Granger greeted him cheerfully. "I'll just fetch Dean for you, shall I?" She made a small beckoning motion with her hand before walking off, leaving Severus to catch the edge of the portrait and step into Gryffindor territory.

Uncertain whispers ran through the group of students at the sight of the bat of the dungeons in Gryffindor Tower, but Severus ignored them with a skill honed over many years. To his relief, it did not take long for Hermione to return with Dean Thomas.

"Thank you, Miss Granger," he said to the bushy-haired girl. "The Headmistress would like to see your notes on Hogwarts improvements, if you could take them to her." Simply nodding in reply to her enthusiastic assent, he turned to the student he had actually come for. "Please follow me, Mr. Thomas." The boy seemed reluctant but fell into step behind Severus as they left Gryffindor Tower and headed down towards the basement.

"This is not a school-related matter," Severus informed the boy, "but I am afraid that your Head of House has too many troubles on her plate today to deal with this as well." He looked back to see Dean's worried expression and softened his tone somewhat. "Your family is well, as far as I am aware," he assured the boy, gesturing for him to walk beside him instead of behind him. "This matter concerns you and Blaise Zabini; as soon as we have retrieved him I will address the matter."

"Thank you, sir," the boy replied, to his surprise, and he hoped it wasn't visible in his expression. None of his Gryffindor students had ever thanked him sincerely – but for the Golden Trio, once the spells were removed from them.

"It is my responsibility as your professor, Mr. Thomas," Severus replied eventually. He could have expected it – now that the spells had been dropped from everyone Dumbledore had bespelled, attitudes towards him should change, if only slightly. They walked on in silence, down stairways until they reached Slytherin territory.

"I require the presence of Blaise Zabini," Severus spoke to a stone wall, ignoring the inner voice that reproached him for revealing to a _Gryffindor_ where the Slytherin dorms were located. That same Gryffindor looked on in open curiosity as nothing happened.

"Mr. Thomas," Severus said in an undertone, "I suggest you hide your curiosity until we are in private. Slytherins to not approve of outsiders knowing where their House is located."

"Yes, sir," the boy answered, trying to school his expression and failing miserably. He was clearly trying to look bored, but he only managed to look constipated. This time Severus did voice his sigh.

"Ah, Mr. Zabini," he said as soon as the wall opened to reveal the boy – and beyond, the Slytherin common room. "Follow me." Knowing his snake would follow him, he turned and strode away towards his private rooms, curtly telling Medusa that he required entrance. He appreciated the fact that the guardian opened not to a set password, but to the speaker's voice or magic – it certainly made things easier when he had students along. _Unless they're Gra- Hermione and can brew Polyjuice Potion,_ he thought with some reluctance. _Thankfully, students of her caliber are few and far between._

"Have a seat," he told the two boys in his company as he chose an armchair for himself. To his surprise, Zabini and Thomas both chose the couch – opposite ends, to be sure, but even so… _Perhaps this will be easier than I had anticipated._

"Mr. Thomas, I believe you have several half-siblings, is that correct?"

"It is, sir," the boy replied, a worried frown once more appearing on his face. It was interesting for Severus to see them sitting next to each other, for now similarities were apparent that he had never noticed before.

"Mr. Zabini, what was your father's name?"

The Slytherin hid his emotions well as he replied, "Maurizio Zabini, Professor."

"He was your mother's first husband, was he not?" A silent nod, and Severus asked, "And your mother retained the name of her first husband in her subsequent marriages?"

"She did, Professor Snape," the boy replied, his discomfort apparent to Severus, if not to the other student. No doubt Zabini was uncomfortable revealing such details to a member of another House.

Severus sighed, knowing that he was not very good at being gentle when giving a student bad news. "It was revealed to me today that Maurizio Zabini was placed under a love potion shortly after conceiving you, Mr. Zabini, and married Jillian Thomas not a month later. They were both under the effects of a love potion."

Both boys were openly gaping at him by this point. Zabini hid it better, to be sure, but Dean Thomas's jaw was hanging open nearly comically.

"That's who my father is?" he asked, his voice shocked. His mother had never told him the name, having somehow forgotten it.

"Was," Severus corrected. "He was killed by Death Eaters not long after your birth." Severus suspected that it had been conveniently arranged by Dumbledore – and that the same man had most likely obliviated Mrs. Thomas of the memories of her husband.

"We are half-siblings, then?" Zabini asked, shooting a glance at the Gryffindor.

"Yes," the Potions professor confirmed, looking between his two students while they silently assimilated that information. Their facial shape was slightly different – Zabini's more oval and pointed while Thomas's was rounder – but the skin tone was similar, and the hair exactly the same but for the Gryffindor's being slightly longer. Both had warm brown eyes and a wide nose, with Thomas's build being slightly broader than that of his half-brother. The similarities were certainly there.

Finally Zabini asked the question that Severus was expecting. "Who drugged my father with the love potion?"

Severus exhaled slowly, knowing that it would be hard to persuade the Gryffindor, at least, of the veracity of his answer. "Albus Dumbledore."

"What?!" Dean Thomas exclaimed, wide-eyed in surprise. "Professor Dumbledore?"

Severus nodded. "It will appear in tomorrow's Prophet, if you do not believe my words. Dumbledore was questioned today under truth serum, and a great many illegal actions came to light. I do not believe that your situation will be expressly mentioned, but felt you should know."

"Thank you, Professor," Blaise replied softly, accepting his Head of House's words as truth. He had never known the man to be anything less than honest, and it answered a great many questions he and his mother had never found the answers to. "If you will excuse me, I will write to my mother with the news." The Slytherin stood, and Dean followed him up from the couch.

There was hesitation on the younger boy's face for a moment, but then he seemed to make up his mind. "Zabini… Blaise," he said, his eyes on his newly-discovered half-brother. When the other boy turned to face him he held out his hand, brown eyes earnest on the Slytherin's face. "It's good to meet you, brother," he said, seeing in the older boy's eyes that he had taken him by surprise. "I'd like to get to know you better, now that I know we're related. I don't know anything about my dad, but I would like to meet my stepmother. I'm sure my mum would like to meet her, too," he grinned. "She never did have anything to say about my dad, and when I learned about magic I figured that maybe he obliviated her before leaving us. I have got other half-siblings, but they're all younger, so it's kinda cool to have an older brother now," the boy's grin widened, lighting up his face.

A pause, then Blaise huffed and took the offered hand. "I agree; I have no brothers, only sisters. It is good to meet you, little brother." He didn't quite smile, but something in his expression conveyed a sense of welcome to Dean, and the other boy released the grip with his grin undiminished.

"Figure I'll go write my mum a letter, then," he said cheerfully. "You're welcome in Gryffindor Tower, just so's you know." He laughed at Blaise's incredulous expression. "Family's always welcome." He turned to Severus, clearly not expecting Blaise to reciprocate the offer, and thanked him for telling them.

"It was no problem, Mr. Thomas," Severus deferred, hiding his surprise at the boy's clearly earnest offer of access to Gryffindor Tower. Slytherins weren't accustomed to such ready acceptance. Zabini echoed the thanks, and as the two fifth-year students were leaving Severus added one last remark.

"Mr. Zabini, please ask Draco Black to join me in my quarters." The dark-skinned boy blinked once, still as unused to Draco's new surname as Severus himself was, then nodded in assent. With that the two students were out the door, and Severus was left with silence. He was not looking forward to speaking with Draco – but at least this conversation had gone far better than he had expected.

_Thank goodness for Gryffindors and their ready acceptance of changes to the status quo,_ he thought, a small smirk appearing on his face for actually assigning a positive character trait to the House of lions. Standing, he stretched and turned his mind to his godson.

A/N: 300 favorites and over 500 followers and reviews! You guys are awesome. I never expected this much appreciation! Thank youuu~  
Also, I _had_ planned on writing about the two Harrys in this chapter, but then this happened! I think it was important for Severus to do this, though, and it shows that he really does care for his students. Had it been only about Dean he may have left it up to Minerva to deal with, but since it involved one of his snakes he couldn't have done anything but deal with it himself. So, what did you think! Personally, I quite like this twist. And the actors _do_ look slightly similar! This should be fun to write. But for now: Harry! To be found in the next chapter, I promise ;)  
Oh, and **Moi!** Please search (strg+F) for the keyword 'Moi' in the reviews and you'll find my reply to your review ;) (Or just check the reviews for Chapter 67 and mine's right over yours.) Great idea! I'll probably continue replying that way, since I typically do reply to the reviews I get.


	69. Chapter 69

CHAPTER SIXTY NINE:

It took Harry some time to get away from the Ministry, especially after all the revelations concerning him. There had been even more than he had expected – and he definitely didn't look forward to telling Harry that their mother had only married James Potter because of a love potion.

"Why does all this shit happen to me?" he muttered as he trudged up the path to Hogwarts. "Maybe someday I'll have a normal life," he added, his tone both longing and dark, already knowing but not wanting to accept that his life would never be 'normal'. "What's 'normal', anyway?" Harry snorted, seeing a Thestral fly overhead.

It took him a while to reach Gryffindor Tower, but once he reached it he had the odd sensation of not knowing the password for the first time. After a moment's deliberation he hissed **Open** at the fat lady, giving her an apologetic smile when she swung aside against her will.

Stepping into the common room, Harry ignored the students' reactions to his unexpected presence and caught his younger self's eye. A brief jerk of his head in the direction of the hallway had the boy abandoning his books, and Harry shook his head at Ron to keep him and Hermione from joining them. Ron simply nodded and turned back to his homework while Hermione gave him a smile that he returned, knowing that she would notice his preoccupation and corner him about it later.

_Not that I know when she'll find the time to,_ he thought with a mental sigh. His days seemed endlessly long lately.

He sighed out loud when the portrait had closed behind him and Harry. "I'm not even sure where to start," he said, passing a hand over his face. "For now, let's get out of Hogwarts; we're going to get you emancipated today so that you don't have to go back to the Dursleys."

The guarded hope in his younger self's face woke unhappy memories in Harry. "Really?"

"Would I lie to you?" Harry countered, raising his eyebrows and pulling a set of papers from within his robes. "There's a lot to tell you, but let's deal with the Dursleys first. I'm sorry that I haven't spent any time with you," he apologized as they started walking away from Gryffindor Tower. "I've been a bit busy…"

"A bit?" laughed the younger Harry. "Don't worry about it; I've been busy enough myself. Not as much as you, I'll admit," he grinned, "but I do have homework to keep me busy."

"Ah, homework…" Harry said wistfully. "Those were the days…"

The student sobered slightly, looking at his older self through his round glasses. "You never sat your NEWTS, did you?" A humorless laugh was his answer.

"Well, I'm glad you don't think I've been neglecting you," Hames grinned wryly at him. "I'm hoping I can make up for it when Summer Holiday starts – I was thinking we could travel somewhere, just the two of us."

Harry grinned excitedly, but managed to sound skeptical as he asked, "Without Snape?"

"Alright, the three of us," Hames amended sheepishly. "You wouldn't mind?"

"I'm not sure yet," Harry replied, still glowing at the prospect of a proper vacation. "He seems alright, but I don't really know him at all… I figure he won't treat me too bad with you around, though," he grinned mischievously and Hames laughed.

"I think he'll actually come to like you," he said, "since we _are_ the same person…" His grin was as mischievous as Harry's, but flavored with a slightly dark edge that Harry couldn't replicate. "So, where would you like to go?"

"Is that what you two were discussing this morning?" Harry asked with sudden insight. "I heard from Ginny that you two were saying something about Egypt and France over breakfast."

Harry laughed in memory of that brief conversation. "Yes; I suggested we go to Egypt first, but Severus vetoed my suggestion. He thinks France is a much better choice," he grinned.

"Not sure I disagree with him," the student grinned back. "Egypt must be pretty hot in summer!"

"Ah, what are cooling charms for," Harry said flippantly.

"You better cast them on me, too," Harry retorted. "Or were you planning on watching me sweat?"

Harry raised his eyebrows at his younger self with a grin. "Have you already forgotten that you'll be considered an adult by the end of the day?" The surprised look of his companion was just too funny.

"Actually, we'll have to discuss quite a bit on that point, preferably with a goblin present. Once you're emancipated you'll be a legal adult, and as such will come into your inheritance," Harry said in a more serious tone. "You'll be the new Lord Potter, and can then access all the Potter vaults. As an adult and especially a Lord you'll have a lot of privileges – one being that you can leave Hogwarts at any time without permission. The professors don't want anyone to know, though, so don't tell anyone," Harry laughed. "Otherwise the seventh years would leave anytime they wanted!"

"Wait, if I'm Lord Potter, does that mean you won't be anymore?"

"We'll both be," Harry replied. "I'm also Lord Black at the same time as Sirius, so I'm kind of an exception. You don't have to worry about the responsibilities the Lordship brings until you're out of Hogwarts, but then I'll be more than happy to give you the Potter seat on the Wizengamot," he grinned at the grimacing student.

"Thanks," the shorter guy replied sarcastically.

"You're welcome!" Harry chirped, laughing at Harry's exasperated look. "Anyway," he said, "there's plenty of time to deal with the privileges and responsibilities later, except that you'll have to be aware of your new status. As a Lord you'll be above all other Hogwarts students in terms of status – I think there may be one or two new Lords at Hogwarts if the parents of any seventh year students are Death Eaters that end up in Azkaban, but even then you should be above them in terms of status. The Potters have always been a very politically powerful family, and right now the name enjoys a certain celebrity status as well," he grinned wryly, an expression that looked closer to a grimace on his younger self's face. "So you'll need to be aware that your actions reflect on the House of Potter, and affect the respect you, and I, will receive. Basically, if you decide to break any rules, don't be caught," Harry said, his voice both mischievous and serious at the same time. "You'll be exempt from most rules – such as curfew – anyway, but it would probably be a good idea to abide by the rules anyway, and treat all professors with even more respect than you have previously. It'll reflect well on your maturity."

The younger Harry sighed. "It's so weird hearing this from you and knowing that it's me lecturing myself on how to act."

"Yeah," Harry grimaced slightly, "it's weird treating myself this way, but I remember the times I wished there was someone to tell me how I was expected to act, especially when I became Lord Potter and Black. I know you don't need the reminder to treat the professors respectfully and act maturely, but it's something I feel I should say anyway, just because it's so important. It's not that I feel I'm superior to you," he said, a faint look of worry in his eyes.

"I know," Harry immediately reassured him. "I don't get that impression, either; I feel kind of like you're my older brother. You know, that you understand me and want to help me out, but let me live my life on my own. And I appreciate that," he said earnestly, stopping briefly and looking Hames squarely in the eye. Thankfully, there were no students around despite the entrance hall usually having at least a few stragglers. "I know that I can come to you if I need any help, but you don't try to push your knowledge onto me. I'm sure that you know a ton of things better than I do, but you're letting me do things on my own, even if that means I develop into a different person than you've become. And that's cool," he smiled sheepishly. "It feels good, knowing that there's someone there for me, without pushing his way into my life. You trust me to handle things on my own while supporting me from the background. I know you haven't had much time lately, and it feels good knowing that if I had an issue, you'd make the time to help me out. I've never had that before."

By this time they both had wet eyes and sad smiles. "I'm glad," the time traveler replied. "And I know exactly what you mean; Ron and Hermione are great, and so was Sirius, but Ron abandoned me more than once, Hermione was too pushy for a long time, and Sirius seemed to expect me to be exactly like my father. It wasn't until later that I found the kind of support you just described, and I'm so glad you feel I do that for you." Harry swallowed hard, then pulled his younger self into a fierce hug. "And you're welcome to call me your brother."

Harry laughed tearfully and held on tighter, clinging to the first true family he had.

A/N: Naww, aren't they cute? I'm so glad they understand each other~ (Also, am I the only one who immediately got Eurythmics' song stuck in my head when I read/wrote the line "Would I lie to you?" Great song.)


	70. Chapter 70

CHAPTER SEVENTY:

It was a regular Saturday afternoon in the Dursley household. Dudley and the freak were off at their respective schools, Petunia was baking the cake for her Saturday tea with the neighboring women, and Vernon was watching television when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it, Vernon," Petunia called out needlessly – it wasn't as though the man ever got the door. Wiping her hands off on her apron, Petunia went to open the door. On her doorstep was a young man in impeccably tailored clothes, and behind him stood the freak, dressed equally well. (She didn't know, of course, that both outfits were temporary transfigurations.)

"Hi, Aunt Petunia," the two visitors said simultaneously, their voices exactly the same but for the slightly lower pitch of the older one. "We'll just invite ourselves in," the older one said, pushing the door open wider and brushing past the bewildered woman. "You coming, Harry?"

"Course I am, Harry," Harry grinned back as he stepped past his aunt. "Aren't you going to close the door, Aunt Petunia?"

The woman closed her mouth and the door with the same audible click. "What's going on here?" she bit out, glaring at the two intruders.

"Oh, nothing much," the older Harry replied. "Is Uncle Vernon home?"

"What are you doing here, boy?" the man in question bellowed from the living room. "If your freak school finally kicked you out then good riddance; you're not welcome here!"

"No, no," the older Harry said conversationally, "Harry wasn't kicked out of school, he and I are just paying you a brief visit and then we hope to never see you again."

"Except maybe in court," the younger Harry amended in the same tone of voice. They hadn't quite decided yet which action to take with the Dursleys; Hames honestly didn't care about the Dursleys anymore, choosing to live his life by the motto 'the best revenge is living well'. Harry, on the other hand, was certainly tempted to get some active revenge for all the years of neglect and abuse that were still so fresh in his memory. The older Harry had eventually said that they'd get the paperwork out of the way first, and then decide – pointing out that if Harry chose to get back at them with magic he'd have to wait until the papers were processed and he was legally allowed to use magic.

"Right," Hames said, still talking conversationally as he pulled a set of papers out of his pocket. "We're here today to have you sign a few papers; after that Harry isn't your responsibility anymore. Here," he handed them to Petunia, "emancipation papers for one Harry James Potter. I already filled in all the necessary information, so all that's needed are your signatures down the bottom of the last page."

Just then the fat man barreled out into the hallway. "What's thi- who are you?" he asked, clearly caught off guard at the sight of the older Harry.

"Hi, Uncle Vernon," Hames greeted him amicably. "I'm Harry from the future. There's two of us now." His grin was decidedly predatory, and Vernon reacted poorly to perceived threats.

"Get out of my house, freak," he spat, his face rapidly turning purple. "There's no place for people like you in our society!"

"I'm not sure about that, uncle," Harry replied. "Harry here is a Lord twice over, and has enough money to buy this house a million times over."

"That's not quite right, Harry," Hames said. "I have enough money to buy all of England, not just a million houses like this one. It's not like this house is very expensive, after all." He smiled amicably at Vernon as he said, "Hey, Harry? What do you think about buying out Grunnings?"

Harry grinned slowly, understanding where his older self was going with this. "How much do you think that would cost? About the contents of my trust vault?"

"You must be joking, Harry," Hames retorted, still without taking his eyes off his uncle. "Try half of what's in your trust vault and you'll be closer to the right sum."

"Enough!" Vernon roared. "Get out of my house!"

"Not just yet," Hames said, leaning casually against the cupboard that was his room for ten years. "We're not leaving till you sign the papers."

"I'll call the police if you don't get out of my house right now, freak!" Vernon was an extremely unappealing shade of purple now, and Harry grimaced as he wiped spittle from his face. Hames merely blinked once, slowly.

"And tell them what?" he asked evenly. "That you're trying to kick your nephew out of the house even though he's your responsibility? I'd wager that the fact that he has emancipation papers with him that would legally allow you to kick him out of your house would not help your case."

Vernon was reduced speechless in impotent rage, and Petunia took the situation into hand. "Get out of my way, freak," she said, pushing both Harrys aside and heading for the kitchen, papers in hand. "I'll sign the papers if it means you get out of our lives and never bother us again." Hames was actually somewhat impressed that she thought to add on that last point.

"Alright," he agreed easily. "If you sign those papers, I'll get out of your life and never bother you again." The small bit of respect she had almost gained fled again when she signed without bothering to extract a serious promise out of the younger Harry – and she didn't even read over the contract before signing. He shot Harry an exasperated look and received a dangerous grin in reply; it seemed his younger self had also recognized that he was free to do anything he wanted and even that his older counterpart hadn't sworn anything, only given his word. Now, Hames had no intention of breaking his word, but he certainly could and would help Harry bother the Dursleys as much as he wished.

Harry (the older) had thought that his respect for the Dursleys had been nonexistent, but it hit negative levels when Vernon signed without reading the contract or arguing over any points – had the businessman somehow forgotten that he was in a position of possible power over a boy he had just learned had huge amounts of money in his trust vault alone? _Am I truly related to these idiots?_ both Harrys wondered when Vernon brandished the papers at them.

"There. Get out of my house!"

"With pleasure," Hames said, giving them a fake smile that made his eyes appear even colder than they had previously. "I'd wish you a good life, but for some reason I don't think you'll have one."

With that the two Harrys turned and left, ignoring the loud insults Vernon was spouting and the shrill words Petunia shrieked as her parting shot. Between the two of them the message was unintelligible anyway.

"Man, they're even more annoying than I had remembered," the older Harry said, tucking the emancipation papers into the inside pocket of his jacket with an expression of distaste. "Thank God you never have to go back there again."

"Yeah," Harry agreed fervently. "Thanks, bro." The last word had both of them grinning again, their annoyance forgotten.

"My pleasure, little brother," Hames returned, the words unusual on his tongue. "Now let's get to Gringotts and file these papers! Then we can turn to the serious, serious topic of Lordship," he grinned at his younger self.

"Hah," Harry grinned back. "That didn't sound serious at all!"

The older Harry carefully schooled his expression. "I'll have you know that I am perfectly capable of being serious," he said snootily, turning up his nose at his younger self for maximum effect but ending up grinning at Harry's giggles.

"Alright, off to Gringotts," he said, grabbing Harry's arm and apparating them away.

A/N: And that's the Dursleys dealt with – not that I expect us to be finished with them. Hames might not need any payback, but Harry is definitely going to figure out something. Suggestions are welcome ;) I do enjoy writing the two Harrys together, but it's always hard! I don't much like referring to Harry as 'Hames' when it's not just the Golden Trio discussing him, but otherwise it gets a bit hard to differentiate between them. Always using alternatives such as "the time traveler", "the student", "the teenager" etc. isn't really my style either, so I hope my changing use of 'Harry' wasn't confusing to anyone! (Lou (can I call you that?), it's pretty funny that this would come up in the chapter right after we discussed this! Let me know how you thought the name-usage was in this chapter.)


	71. Chapter 71

CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE:

"What is it?" Draco asked sullenly when he was let into Severus's quarters. Severus raised an eyebrow at his godson.

"Is that an appropriate tone to use on your Head of House or godfather?"

"Fat load of use you are as a godfather," the teenager snapped, dropping into an armchair and glaring at the man. "I thought you were supposed to take care of me if father died," he accused.

Severus's brows drew together thunderously. "Had you come to me instead of following your mother into the Black family, then you could have retained the Malfoy name with the Snape funds at your disposal. You would have found, however, that a Snape does not enjoy the same status as a Malfoy used to," Severus sneered. "This is now purely academic, of course, as you have sworn yourself to the House of Black. Even so, I fail to see what your problem is; you are one of only three male members of the Black family, with access to money, power, and prestige – and many pure-blood children will soon be your mother's charges, giving you an excellent platform to establish yourself as a top player. There is even the possibility of one day being Lord Black, if you play your cards right." He could tell that the boy was listening intently now, and he hoped his words would get through to the boy.

"As far as I understand it, Sirius Black is mentally instable and has need of a mind healer," Severus sneered, "and is hardly reliable as Head of House, especially after being viewed as a criminal for so long. He may be a Lord now, but it is questionable whether he manages to retain that position. Lord Potter-Black, on the other hand," a small growl came from Draco at the name, and Severus shot him a quelling look. "Lord Potter-Black appears to wish only to leave Britain and travel the world. A Lord can hardly fulfill his responsibilities when he is not present, no?"

His words were definitely reaching Draco, if the glint in his eye was anything to go by. Pressing the advantage, Severus continued persuading his godson. "Now, you are of course too young for the Lordship – but who says that it cannot be yours when you reach the age of seventeen? That means that you have two years – potentially three, as you would want to finish your education before assuming the necessary responsibilities – to show Potter-Black that you are worthy of the Lordship." That seemed to appeal to Draco rather less, Severus could tell. Knowing in which direction the boy's thoughts must be going, Severus said, "Listen, Draco. I am sure that you want revenge for your father's death, preferably by seeing Potter-Black dead in turn. However!" he exclaimed, seeing that he was losing Draco. "All that would accomplish is to see the Black Lordship go directly into the younger Potter's hands, for you can be sure that Potter-Black's will has everything going to his younger self. Once that happens, the Lordship is out of your reach – assuming that you could get the better of Potter-Black."

Draco, ever the egoist, didn't like the suggestion that he couldn't take on Potter, but before he could complain Severus resumed talking.

"The man killed the Dark Lord, Draco – as well as the Lestranges, your father, and many others beside. Do not be fooled by the genial exterior," he said intently, "that man is a killer. Show him the proper respect and he will treat you fairly; attempt to end his life and he will end yours. It is that simple." Pausing and regarding Draco with an intent gaze, he continued more softly, "However, the man is fair to a fault, and you can exploit that…" Trailing off, he leaned back in his seat and folded his hands before him, elbows resting on either armrest.

"How?" Draco asked impatiently, more than a bit of thirst for power audible in that question.

Carefully, Severus introduced Draco to the plan of pretending to adopt Potter-Black's worldview, including showing an interest in Muggles, treating the house elves as valued servants, and displaying a wish to be fair in all dealings, regardless of his personal political viewpoints. By the time Draco left his quarters Severus felt that he had made an inroad into broadening his godson's mind – or at least insuring Harry against an assassination attempt.

OoOoO

"This is all ours?" Harry gaped as he read the parchment detailing the monetary value of the Potter vaults. The material goods were separate from that tally – and also a considerable amount.

"It is," Hames smiled, remembering his own awe when he had become Lord Potter. It was one thing to brag about being rich to the likes of Vernon Dursley and quite another to face the reality of that much money. Especially after growing up with nothing, having so much money at his disposal was mind-boggling. He had thought the trust vault an incredible sum of money when he had first entered Gringotts – and it still was a very large amount – but the entirety of the Potter fortune was a whole other story.

"Come, let's go down to the vaults," Hames said, gesturing for Harry to leave the parchment. The goblin attending them led the way mutely to a cart.

"We'll have to go clothes shopping soon," Hames said to his younger counterpart, smiling when he saw that Harry was once again admiring the new ring he wore. Hames himself hadn't been wearing the ring when he came back in time, so it was lost to him; he already wore two protective rings, though, and was not really a fan of items on his fingers. "So far I've been wearing our father's clothing," Harry looked at him in surprise, "and it's actually too big for me, so I have to keep charming it smaller," Hames grimaced. Harry had a rather more complex expression on his face; amusement and longing wrapped together.

"How did you get his clothing?"

"It was in one of the vaults," Hames answered, clambering into a cart and settling down as comfortably as possible. "I had Dobby bring me the things as soon as I hired him." Then further conversation became impossible as the cart screeched into movement, hurtling down the tracks on its way to the Potter vaults. They were located quite deep within Gringotts, in a separate location from Harry's trust vault, which was on a higher level – and that was fine by the two speed-crazy males along for the ride.

"Woo! I love these carts," Harry laughed once they had stopped, pulling himself up out of it and reaching down a hand to help his older self out.

"Same," the older Harry grinned back, brushing off his robes once he was securely on his feet. "I can't wait to go to an amusement park and try out the rollercoasters Hermione has told me about!"

"What are those?" Harry asked as they followed their guide again. Hermione had never mentioned any rollercoasters to him, and the only time he could remember Dudley mentioning one had been when he'd overheard the boy telling his friends about the ride that had made him throw up.

"They're apparently exactly like that cart ride, just with more comfortable seats and going upside down and everything," Hames grinned, an anticipatory sparkle in his eye. "We definitely have to go to an amusement park this summer! Maybe Ron and Hermione could join us, too? I don't know what their plans are. Maybe even Luna and Neville – I'm not sure either of them would like rollercoasters, but from what I've heard there are a lot of different rides at amusement parks. It's kind of sad that we grew up as Muggles but know so little about the Muggle world, isn't it?" Harry just sighed in response – they both knew perfectly well that they had spent their childhood in a Muggle cupboard, not the wider Muggle world.

They stopped in front of a huge metal door, and Hames told Harry that he could either use the ring or the key he was now wearing around his neck like Hames was to open the door. "Just touch it to the door and it'll open," he explained. Harry reached out and touched the ring on his finger to the door, and the heavy door creaked into motion, slowly opening to the inside and revealing a glorious view to the teenager.

"Oh my," he breathed, dumbfounded at the sight despite having had a similar experience when he first visited his trust vault. This vault was far larger, and filled not only with glittering coins but items of all shapes and sizes – even whole racks of weapons!

"How did you get the sword of Gryffindor?" Harry asked, suddenly remembering about the photos taken after Voldemort's defeat. Both he and Hames missed how their goblin guide suddenly stiffened, clearly listening intently.

Hames shook his head with an indecipherable expression. "It was the strangest thing," he said, taking a few steps into the vault. "I had just returned from killing Voldemort when Fawkes blazed into the room, holding the sword between his talons. He handed it to me, then sang a song that made me feel deep sadness, regret, and hope. After that he blazed away again, and as far as I know he hasn't been seen since. I think that's when he decided to give up on Dumbledore; though I wonder why the phoenix was with him in the first place. Dumbledore was hardly as Light as he pretended to be, after all – but then again, maybe phoenixes aren't as Light as they're believed to be, either. Maybe I'll ask Luna about it; she'd be the most likely to know…"

Harry hummed pensively, following Hames into the vault and walking up to a bookcase. "You seem very close to Luna," he observed.

"She's a wonderful person," Hames replied, a smile in his voice. "We grew quite close in the future, though it took me a little while to figure out her creatures. They really do exist, you know – in some way she definitely can detect something we others can't perceive. They tell her about people's emotions, health, abilities, sometimes even their futures. Other creatures tell her about events happening in another place, or let her know when it's a good time to talk to someone… things like that. If you just listen closely, you'll soon come to decipher what names correspond to which things," Hames smiled at his younger self. "She's a lot of fun to be around, and was always very supportive of me."

"What about Neville?" Harry asked curiously. "You also mentioned him when talking about the amusement park; were you close?"

"Oh, yes," Hames grinned, but his face was shadowed. "Neville was the best. It wasn't until his gran died that he became strong, but then he was one of the core members of the Order. He was the bravest of us, always steadfast in the defense of what was right, but in a quiet way. During meetings he would listen quietly, take in all the information, and then when he spoke everyone would listen up. He'd have been a great leader, really," Hames said, sadness in his voice. "If you were his friend he'd be at your side through anything and face down anyone for you, and it's just sad that it took so long for me to see how amazing Neville truly was… I think that he felt very restricted by his gran's attitude towards him, and even though he clearly loved her very much it wasn't until she died that he was able to really be himself. I do want to have a talk with Madam Longbottom soon about that," he said firmly, picking up a scroll and unfurling it. "And I'd like to spend some time with Neville as well, just to support him the way he supported me. He's a really amazing guy, and he deserves to know it."

They fell quiet for a short time, Harry mulling over Hames' words while the young man busied himself with the scrolls lying around.

"Neville asked Hermione out to the next Hogsmeade weekend," Harry said spontaneously. Hames' reaction affirmed his suspicion that it hadn't happened in the original timeline.

"What?" Hames asked, spinning around with wide eyes. "Neville asked Hermione out?"

"Yeah," Harry said, cocking his head. "We were real surprised, too. She thinks it might have something to do with the fact that she was the one to tell him about the Lestranges after you killed them, but she really seems to be looking forward to getting to know him better." Harry shrugged; he really had no idea how Hermione felt about Neville. "Ron's not too happy; he fancies her, and I thought she liked him, too."

Harry hummed, looking at the student with a pensive expression. "Interesting," he said eventually. "I do think they could be really good together – it's just unexpected."

"Ron and Hermione were together in your future, weren't they?"

Harry briefly deliberated denying it, then decided there was no point. "Yeah. I think it was mostly because they each needed someone and they were already so close. There wasn't much time during the war to find a partner," he smiled sadly.

"And yet you found the time to marry someone," Harry pointed out curiously.

"Yeah." Hames turned away, and his shadowed smile kept Harry from asking any more.

A/N: Alright, this was a busy chapter! Severus gave Draco some sound – and very Slytherin – advice; the problem will only be when Draco finds out that Severus and Harry are together… Wonder whether Draco will decide to follow his original plan then? Or will he trust his godfather, recognizing that the man would know best whether Harry wants to act as Lord Black or not? There's no way he won't find out eventually that the two are romantically involved, after all – but if Severus is lucky it won't happen till the summer holidays begin and he can take Harry far, far away from Draco.  
Harry, on the other hand, is having some trouble thinking of people as they currently are and not as they were in his future. Luna never changes, of course, but Neville certainly changed a lot – though Hermione already recognized the potential for greatness in him and will definitely do her best to coax it out of him. Canon Hermione isn't precisely known for her finesse, however, so we'll have to see whether she manages to bring the best out in Neville – or leave him hiding in her shadow?


	72. Chapter 72

CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO:

Sirius Black was not having a good day.

In fact, he'd had very few good days of late. He was cooped up in his family home – which at least wasn't as dreary as it used to be, courtesy of Winky and Dobby – but it still was a place he hated, and he couldn't even leave it. He was extremely irritated at the time traveler for locking him up – he couldn't help but think with resentment that the future Harry's actions were completely contrary to the statements he had made during the first Order meeting, when he had said Sirius died because he became restless at being cooped up. Oh, he could probably overrule the time traveler's orders, since he was Lord Black himself and Winky answered to him over the time traveler, but the reminder that he had died the last time around because he had left the house kept him from setting foot outside.

_What could I do out there as a wanted man anyway?_ he tried to tell himself. It didn't help that his prankster mind came up with a whole slew of things he could be doing under glamor, or even in his dog form.

The thing that made this day worse than others was that he had finally accepted something that he had begun to notice months before, not long after he broke out of Azkaban. He was occasionally unsure of the time he was in. Some days he was sure that his brother was about to walk in the room. Or James, a joke on his lips. Some days he had whole flashbacks to days long past, of fighting and curses and dying friends. Ever since the time traveler had told him that he would be seeing a mind healer as soon as possible he had been arguing inwardly that he didn't need one, even while part of his mind whispered traitorously _"Don't you?"_.

Today he had accepted, reluctantly, resentfully, that the time traveler was right. He was not in his right mind.

And then he received notice of his trial, which would take place the next day. Conflicting emotions arose within him as he read the letter he had waited on for so long: Relief that he would finally be proven innocent, annoyance both that it had taken so long and that Harry had managed to get him a trial so quickly, anger toward Albus for never getting him a trial despite being Chief Warlock… Hesitancy at the thought of seeing Amelia again.

He didn't think anyone but Remus knew that they had once been engaged, but more than that – he didn't know how she thought of him now. He was still stuck in the past, not having really lived for the past fourteen years or so, and definitely still had feelings for her – but she had believed him a criminal of the worst kind for all those years, had raised her niece alone and become Minister of Magic. There was no way she was still interested in him, and Sirius was reluctant to see her again. It would hurt too much.

Sighing deeply, Sirius let the parchment fall to the tabletop and cast a weary glance over the newspapers scattered there. At least he was up to date on the happenings of the wizarding world. It had only been five days since Harry had confined him to Grimmauld Place – though if he was honest with himself, he had been confined here before that anyway – and quite a bit had happened in that time; regardless of how he felt about the time traveler, he had to admit that he was efficient.

Just then the doorbell rang, and Sirius stood to get it. He slid his wand into his hand, though – he couldn't think of many people that would visit and not come through the Floo. Peering through the peephole, he wasn't sure whether to smile or scowl, for both Harrys stood on his front step.

Opening the door, he frowned at the elder Harry. "Why didn't you just open the door yourself?"

"It seemed rude when it's your house," the young man smiled sheepishly. "I was really unfair to you the last time I came, and I wanted to apologize for that."

Sirius blinked in surprise. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but it sure hadn't been that.

"It's okay," he said eventually. "You were right."

The Harry that was so foreign to him blinked, clearly also taken aback by his words. Then a smile spread over his face, and for the first time Sirius could see the Harry he knew in this stranger.

"Come on in," he said gruffly, stepping aside to let them in the house. "Good to see you, Harry."

"It's good to see you too," the teenager said, giving Sirius a hard hug. "How are you?"

Sirius snorted. "Apart from the fact that I need a mind healer and am stuck in the house I grew up in? Well, at least those house elves do good work," he said, pointing with no little satisfaction at the spot a huge portrait of Walburga Black had once occupied.

"Oh, they got rid of her?" Harry exclaimed in delight. "Finally!"

"You can say that again," Sirius laughed. "Come, let's have a bottle of butterbeer or something," he led the way to the kitchen, but before they got there Hames said, "Actually, I brought a little something I'd like both of you to see."

"The pensieve?" Harry asked shrewdly. "You said you'd need it later when you took it from the vault."

"Right," Hames replied with a nod, looking from Harry to Sirius. "I'd like to put in my memory of today's trial for you to see." He didn't mention whose trial it was, but saw in Harry's face that he suspected whose trial it was. "It'll be all over the paper tomorrow, but I thought you two deserved to see it before then. Is Remus around? He deserves to see this, too."

"He should be in his room," Sirius replied, pointing up at the ceiling. "I'll go get him."

"Thanks, Sirius," Hames smiled slightly, relieved that they were being so civil around each other this time. _Maybe Sirius has good and bad days; that would make sense,_ Harry thought, not knowing that earlier Sirius had thought of this day as a particularly bad one.

"Dumbledore?" Harry whispered when Sirius was gone, receiving a tight nod in reply. "That bad?"

"Let's just say that a few things came to light that I hadn't known about before," Hames replied, laying a finger to his lips to stall any more questions. A few seconds later two men joined them, Remus immediately sweeping the older Harry into a hug.

"It's so good to see you, cub," he spoke into Harry's hair, feeling the young man hug him back with everything he had. They released and exchanged smiles that spoke louder than words before Remus turned to hug the younger Harry. "You too, Harry," he said, and Hames wondered why Remus called him his cub but his younger self by his name. "So, what brings you here?" he asked curiously. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, it's just a surprise!"

"Well, today we visited the Dursleys and Gringotts," Hames replied, "and now Harry here is emancipated! May I introduce you to the new Lord Potter," he swept a grand bow in Harry's direction, grinning at Harry's laugh.

"That's wonderful!" Sirius exclaimed. "Congratulations! We definitely need to break out the firewhiskey to celebrate!" he grabbed Harry's hand in both of his and pumped it excitedly.

"Ah, perhaps we'll save the firewhiskey for when he's older," Remus interjected amusedly, clapping Harry on the shoulder. "Congratulations, Harry."

"Thanks, Professor," the teenager grinned.

"Please, call me Remus – I haven't been your teacher in quite a while," the werewolf said. "I insist," he added when it seemed as though Harry would object.

"I'll try," Harry grinned crookedly.

"That's all I ask for," Remus smiled. "However, I get the impression that your new status isn't the reason for your visit..?" he turned to Hames.

"Right," the young man said, his expression becoming more serious. "There was a very important trial today, and I want the three of you to see it. I brought a pensieve and I'll watch it with you; it'll take a few hours, though."

"That sounds like a pretty long trial," Sirius frowned. "Whose was it?"

Harry shook his head. "You'll see." Pulling the pensieve out of his pocket, he set it on the table and restored it to its original size. With the ease of long practice he extracted a memory from his mind and placed it in the pensieve before turning to his companions. "Shall we?"

OoOoO

When the four were ejected from the pensieve at the end of their viewing they all sported different expressions. Harry looked slightly ill despite having mostly known what to expect; Remus appeared to be struggling to control himself, and Sirius seemed ready to strangle the wizard with his bare hands. Hames just watched them with an inscrutable expression.

"THAT MOTHERFUCKER!" Sirius roared, bringing down both fists against the table. Hames decided at that point that it would be prudent to shrink and pocket the pensieve. "He had spells on us, didn't he?" he snarled at the time traveler. "All of us?"

"Yeah," Harry replied with a tight expression. "The Marauders were all dosed to high heavens. Unless Pettigrew wasn't; I'm not sure what he had on him. I only know that you two," he gestured at Sirius and Remus, "and Dad had nearly as many spells and potions affecting you as I did."

"THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Sirius yelled, turning away and hitting the wall violently. "HOW DARE HE!"

Harry looked to Remus, wondering how he was dealing with the revelations of the trial. The werewolf was standing stock still, rigidly clenching his fists and jaw and trembling with the effort of it.

"Remus?" Harry asked quietly, reaching out to touch the werewolf lightly on the shoulder and trying to ignore the spike of hurt he felt when Remus twitched away from the touch. The younger Harry was wisely keeping away from the adults, watching them somewhat warily. "What do you need?" Harry asked Remus, not knowing what to do to help the man he loved like a father.

"Calming draught," Remus bit out, and Harry immediately pulled one out of a pocket, thrusting it at the older man. Remus grabbed it and ripped out the stopper, tipping back the contents in three large gulps; almost immediately his muscles relaxed, and he exhaled shakily as he lowered the empty vial.

"Thank you," he said, his eyes shadowed as he handed the vial back to Harry. The younger man accepted it with a searching look, eventually deciding that Remus would be okay. Pulling another vial out of his pocket, he hefted it in his hand and called, "Sirius! Catch!" The other man turned and Harry lobbed it at him, the vial easily caught in the marauder's fist. "Drink it, please, and let's discuss this calmly, okay?"

Sirius appeared ready to argue, but then Remus turned to look at him and he swallowed the potion without argument. He, too, instantly became calmer.

"That motherfucker," he said, as though to tell them that he still hated Dumbledore, potion or no.

"I quite agree," Hames said darkly.

"Actually, he's more likely to be a fatherfucker," Harry interjected, looking sheepish when the other three turned to him with identical repulsed expressions. "Sorry."

"Ugh," Hames shuddered. "Even I found that disgusting, and I like men!"

"I said I'm sorry!" Harry complained.

Hames shuddered one more time for good measure before grabbing a chair and sitting down. "Sometimes I wonder about my sense of humor," he muttered, looking up with a mischievous smile when Remus laughed. "Maybe I shouldn't," he said smugly. "Come on, grab a seat and let's talk about that trial."

A/N: And this is why it seems that so much time has elapsed when it hasn't! These past few chapters have all taken place on the same day, and the day isn't over yet. Let's see, what all has happened on this one day so far: Saturday breakfast in Great Hall, Dumbledore trial, Minerva and Severus scotch, Blaise and Dean, Harry emancipation and Dursleys, Severus talk with Draco, introspection Sirius, Hames shows Harry, Remus and Sirius Dumbledore's trial in pensieve. In terms of chapters, I believe that's been nine chapters? Yep, since Chapter 64. Crazy! Next chapter: Still Saturday! (Surprise, surprise.)  
Concerning Sirius's behavior in this chapter: It is surprisingly meek, isn't it? Don't think that he's going to be like this from now on; I can see him veering unpredictably into different moods and frames of mind. This time so many introspective things were on his mind that his mood was subdued, and by showing him respect by not walking right into his home Hames took a lot of wind out of his sails. Had he just walked into the kitchen without a by-your-leave I think that Sirius's reaction would have been quite different!


	73. Chapter 73

CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE:

Harry sighed as he closed the door to Remus's room behind him. They had had a very long conversation about Dumbledore, the trial, Harry's upbringing and more, but there had been one thing they hadn't touched upon, and Harry wanted to deal with it privately. He turned away from the door and met the lost gaze of his younger self, speaking quietly even though he knew the two men wouldn't wake from under the effects of a Dreamless Sleep potion.

"Let's go back to the kitchen; I have a few other memories to show you…" His younger self simply nodded and followed him into the kitchen; once they were both standing in front of the pensieve Harry sighed again.

"I'm sure you could tell, but I was as shocked as you to find out that Dumbledore had dosed Mum with a love potion… The impression I had been given growing up was that Dad had been in love with her since he first saw her on the train, and that when he finally grew up Mum agreed to date him. The thing is," he frowned slightly at his teenage self, "you haven't heard much about her yet. I only really found out more about her when Horace Slughorn became Potions Professor at Hogwarts – she had been his favorite student, you see, so he was all too happy to talk about her at length. He didn't have anything good to say about James Potter, though, and by that time I could understand that, because at the end of my fifth year I, er…" he looked sheepishly down at the pensieve. "I thought that Snape was up to no good, and one time before an Occlumency lesson I got to the classroom and he wasn't there, but his pensieve was…"

Harry sucked in a breath, and Hames looked at him with a slight grimace. "Yeah, I took a look. And it wasn't what I had expected. But let me show you," he gestured at the pensieve, but Harry frowned.

"Wouldn't it be invading his privacy if you showed me a personal memory of his?"

Hames paused in surprise. "Wow, I didn't understand that until after I saw it," he said, sounding both pleased and rueful.

Harry gave him an exasperated look. "That's because you were under spells not to trust him. Of course you looked into his pensieve."

And there was the greatest validation Harry had ever gotten for that immense breach of privacy. _Of course, _he thought with no little relief, _Severus forgave me for it, but I wouldn't have done it in the first place had I not had spells compelling me…_

"So why don't you just tell me about it instead of showing me?" Harry asked, and there was definitely a worried note behind the bravado.

"Maybe that would be better," Hames agreed, moving to sit in an armchair across the room; the one, incidentally, that he had waited in when the Order had dealt with the Death Eaters what felt like a lifetime ago. "Growing up, we were always told that we were just like our father – the perfect Gryffindor, brave, powerful, kind…" And so Harry set about taking apart the only things his younger self had known about their parents, making it painfully clear what bullies the Marauders had been, how close Lily and Severus had been growing up, how talented, intelligent and powerful both James and Lily had been, always cautioning that it seemed a lot of the Gryffindors' bullying behavior was brought about by Dumbledore.

"You already knew from when we questioned Dumbledore that there had been a strong rivalry between Severus and the Marauders," Harry said regretfully, "but they truly were more bullies than rivals. I do think most of that was because of spells, though – Remus actually gets along just fine with Severus, and Sirius I'm afraid is more than a bit stuck in the past. I think once he gets over that he'll at least be civil to the Slytherin," he gnawed his lip slightly. "But the thing is, we don't know what James Potter really was like. Maybe if we could find someone who knew him before Hogwarts, since we do know from Severus what Lily was like before going to school…" He pulled a face. "So, basically, we're left knowing that they were definitely very intelligent, since you can't fake that, and that they each loved us very much, since I doubt their echoes in the Priori Incantatem were still drugged," he smiled crookedly, an expression copied by Harry. "Other than that, we can't really know anything for sure. But I choose to believe that their pre-Hogwarts selves and the Priori Incantatem echoes were their true selves, and those are some amazing people right there."

"Yeah," Harry smiled softly. "They were pretty amazing parents…"

Hames smiled in reply, then stood. "Come; I don't think Severus will mind me showing you some memories of Lily from before Hogwarts…"

OoOoO

Severus stared blankly into the fire, a glass of brandy in his hand. He had kept himself busy first talking to others, then brewing, and only now had allowed himself to consider the events that had taken place that morning.

_She didn't love him,_ he echoed the shocked thought that had rang through his mind at the trial. When he had learned that Lily had been dosed with a love potion. _She could have been mine,_ had been the second thought – before he had remembered that he, too, had been under the influence of a love potion at the time. He had thought himself over the effects, but an echo of old feelings seemed to remain anyway, tied to the memories he had of that time.

Then Severus had looked at Harry, and seen how hard that information had hit the young man – for clearly he hadn't known about it. And Severus's heart had ached.

_I grew up knowing that my father didn't love my mother, _he had thought, _but Harry grew up hearing from everyone how in love his parents were. For that to be a lie… _He couldn't imagine how painful it must be for the young man. Immediately following that thought he had realized that Harry would of course tell Potter, and the teenager had only ever heard how wonderful his father was, knowing nothing of his mother, and realized that Harry would have to tell him the truth about the Marauders.

"Oh, Harry…"

As if on cue the entrance to his rooms slid open, and Harry walked into the room with a sigh.

"Severus," he said simply, and a second later the man was by his side, placing a hand on his arm and watching him with concern. Harry simply stepped forward into his arms, rising on his toes so that he could bury his face in the soft warmth of Severus's neck.

They stood that way for a long moment before Harry exhaled and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to Severus's neck. "I need you," he whispered against the warm skin, pressing his body up against Severus's and sliding his hands down to untuck the taller man's shirt.

Severus hummed, placing one of his cold hands at Harry's nape and holding his lover close. "Then you shall have me," he said softly, pulling back and drawing Harry into the bedroom. Tonight would be a night of tender affirmation of what they shared – a relationship untainted by love potions and false affections.


	74. Chapter 74

CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR:

Severus had hoped that the long day, following by them making love, would end in a deep sleep for Harry. Instead, he had already been woken by a nightmare once, and it seemed that Harry wasn't done dreaming yet.

Harry's nightmares were hard on Severus, not only because it meant he had to see Harry in such anguish, but also due to the uncertainty each nightmare brought with it: For when Harry dreamt of his past, wariness and violence could be expected upon waking, while when dreaming of more abstract things Harry typically needed comfort and close proximity to his lover. But right up until the moment Harry woke Severus couldn't know whether or not his presence would be welcome, and it was taking its toll on him.

As Harry began to stir restlessly again Severus considered how to help his lover. Was it best to simply let him work through the nightmares and hope they decreased over time? Perhaps putting physical distance between himself and the location of his nightly terrors would help? Travelling to another country could certainly deal with both of those points, but what if the trauma ran too deep?

Severus's first thought was of course of a potion, but he had not the first idea how one would go about creating a potion to heal the mind instead of repressing memories. Occlumency, too, could only do so much, and Harry certainly wasn't a natural Occlumens. A psychologist, then? Severus knew that Muggle soldiers often needed professional aid after the trauma of a war. However, he knew that Harry would insist on dealing with it on his own, arguing that he didn't have the time to see a psychologist – which, Severus ruefully thought, was currently true.

Then Harry thrashed against the covers and Severus gently separated himself from Harry, recognizing that it was a dream of his past. He would give it until the end of the summer holiday – by then Harry should have gotten a restful vacation far away from Britain, and if that didn't help the nightmares then Severus would suggest Harry find some professional help. Silently illuminating the room with a spell, he kept his wand ready in case he would have to defend himself magically.

Harry bolted upright with a gasp, wand in hand and eyes searching. The room was quiet but for the breathing of another person… He turned and stiffened when it wasn't Daphne beside him, but Snape watching him warily.

"Snape?" he asked guardedly, frowning slightly when the man's face twitched at the name. Harry's eyes widened. "Severus," he breathed, all the tenseness going out of him. Turning away, he covered his face with his hands. "I'm sorry," Harry apologized, as he did each time he awoke from such a nightmare.

"What did you dream about?" Severus asked, his voice still rough with sleep. Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around his smaller lover and pillowed his cheek against Harry's back. "Tell me about it."

A shiver went through Harry's slight frame. "I once looked into the mind of a dying Death Eater," he began shakily, "and later transferred the memories I had taken into a pensieve. The strange thing is that memories taken from other people can only be viewed from inside their own bodies, regardless of who puts the memory in the pensieve – so when we viewed the memories of this Death Eater in the pensieve, the final memory ended with us reliving his death…" Harry shivered again.

Severus pulled away and tugged gently at Harry until he was turned facing him. "Show me," he ordered softly.

"No," Harry said immediately, his expression distressed. "I don't want to burden you with that..."

"Share the burden, Harry," Severus said gently, brushing the hair out of the younger man's face. "Let me support you." They locked gazes, the green one conflicted while the dark one was full of calm certainty.

"Alright, but only this once," Harry conceded reluctantly, but Severus promptly shook his head.

"No, Harry," he disagreed carefully. "I want you to be able to share all your dreams with me; the good and the bad. Let me support you," he repeated. Seeing that Harry was still conflicted he reached out and cupped his lover's cheek. "Would you not do the same for me if I were struggling?"

Harry exhaled slowly. "I would," he agreed wryly. "But it's so much to ask of you – too much. There are so many bad memories…"

"But there are good ones as well," Severus countered gently. "Why don't you show me the memory that haunts you, followed by a good memory? I care not which; it could be a Christmas present you received, a chess game you played with Weasley, something from the future, the present, or the past. You have bright memories as well, Harry; don't let the dark ones dominate your nights."

As Severus spoke a smile dawned on Harry's face, and by the time he had finished speaking the younger man had an expression of pure love on his face, causing Severus's heart to skip more than one beat.

"Thank you," Harry said softly, pressing his face into Severus's hand much as a cat would. "You're right; my days are so busy that there's no time to relive bad memories, but I let them control my dreams. Here, let me show you…" he reached out with his mind and magic, unwittingly beginning a new ritual of sharing one good and bad memory each night.

OoOoO

The new Lord Potter managed to get his two closest friends alone before breakfast on Sunday morning, the three of them hiding out in an abandoned classroom with the Marauders Map close at hand so that no one could interrupt.

"I already discussed this a bit with Ron last night," Harry said to Hermione, "but boys can't get up the girls' staircase, otherwise you'd've been there as well."

"You were out pretty late last night," Hermione nodded understandingly, a worried note in her voice. "Is everything alright?"

"No," Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair and messing it up even more than it already was. "Dumbledore's trial was yesterday, and it'll be all over the Prophet today – Hames just wasn't sure how much Skeeter would say about it. He said it's possible that she'll include the full transcript of the trial, which means that a lot of information will get out, and," he took a big breath, "it turns out that my mum was under a love potion."

There was a breathless pause where Hermione stared at him, for once utterly lost for words. "What?!" she finally squeaked. "Dumbledore dosed her with a love potion? Keyed to your dad? Oh, Harry," her lip trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. "Did Hames know?"

"No," Harry said, biting his own lip to keep it from trembling.

"Oh," Hermione sobbed, throwing her arms around her friend and hugging him within an inch of his life. For once he didn't seem awkward at the hug, only squeezing her back just as tightly. "Are you okay with that?" she asked. "I mean, of course you wouldn't be _okay_ with it – how could you – but I mean, there's the possibility that she would have grown to love him even without the potion, and your parents definitely loved you, there's no doubt about it-"

"Hermione," Harry cut her off with a breathless laugh, "I don't think I've heard you talk that quickly since we first met Hames."

"Ah, well…" Hermione pulled back, blushing now. "I just- We're here for you if you need anything, Harry, really," she said, gesturing in Ron's direction but keeping her gaze locked on Harry.

"I know," he smiled that endearing crooked smile that she only associated with Harry. Nobody else smiled quite the way he did. "And that's all I need, really. I just wanted to make sure that you knew before the Prophet tells everyone…"

"Thanks, Harry," she smiled back, wiping the moisture from her eyes. "Any other unpleasant surprises?"

"Well, I think Hames mentioned something about Zabini and Dean being half-brothers…"

OoOoO

The Great Hall that morning was a study in reactions. As Harry had expected, there were several articles covering Dumbledore's trial as well as the full transcript – and there was enough there to upset anyone. To his relief, his request had been honored and not a word of possible abuse was mentioned, so at least his younger self would be spared that ordeal. In fact, most personal information linked to him had been edited out – including that his mother, and Severus, had been dosed with love potions. He'd have considered doing something nice for Rita if not for the fact that he had literally made her career by getting her into the trial and setting up the book deal for her.

When Minerva stood to address the students it took a while for her to be noticed, but harder than that was finding the words.

"For the second time I find myself standing before you with a heavy heart," she began slowly, looking out over the full hall – for every single student had turned up when news of the articles had spread. "The first time it was to inform you of the trial of Dolores Umbridge, as well as apologize for her actions at this school. Today I find myself doing the same, but for our former headmaster, Albus Dumbledore." She paused, closing her eyes briefly. "I am not even sure what to say to you," she confessed. "As you will have taken from today's Daily Prophet, I was even more blinded to his true character than most others, and I have no words of apology to give you. No," she corrected herself, "I have no apologies for Dumbledore, but I have an apology of my own to make. Perhaps I was under the influence of character-changing spells, but even so I regret the part I unwittingly played in separating Slytherin House from the other students. I regret favoring the Gryffindors over the other students despite my efforts to be fair, and I regret not being the supportive professor I had hoped to be. For that, you all have my sincere apology," she bowed, the motion exactly the same as she had given when apologizing for not stopping Umbridge.

Behind her she heard a chair scrape against the stone floor as someone stood, and she straightened, knowing instinctively who had risen and finding it completely appropriate.

"I, too, have an apology to make," Severus Snape spoke from his seat at the end of the High Table. "It is only briefly mentioned in the transcript, but I, too, was under a great many spells and potions that altered my personality. I will not deny that the basis was there – I truly do take pride in Slytherin House, and I was never a patient teacher – but I would like to think that I would have treated my students more fairly, and with a great deal more patience, than I did. I was not hired to be a teacher; I was hired so that Dumbledore could have his spy close at hand. I was never meant to impart onto you my knowledge, and I apologize sincerely for putting so many students, over so many years, at such a disadvantage. For that, you have my apologies."

Severus bowed exactly as Minerva had, at the waist until his torso was parallel to the floor. He held the position for several heartbeats, then straightened and took his seat smoothly, meeting the eyes of his students levelly. When his gaze met the stunned one of Neville Longbottom he felt regret take over his features: There was a student he had treated appallingly, and he knew that the Gryffindor deserved a complete apology. For he knew that without Dumbledore's meddling, he never would have treated Longbottom the way he had – with a mix of resentment for not being the child of prophecy, since Alice Longbottom and not Lily had survived (conveniently overlooking that the boy's mother had been tortured into insanity), annoyance at the boy's utter incapability of brewing anything, and a healthy dose of irrational, all-consuming hate. Why Dumbledore had put compulsion charms on him to hate Longbottom was beyond him, but now he had to live with the results.

Then Minerva resumed her address, moving on from the topic of apologies. "Only once the spells were lifted from me and the potions flushed from my system," she had spent a sleepless night suffering the aftereffects of a flushing potion, "did I realize how terribly Hogwarts had suffered under Dumbledore's rule. We have a History professor who does not truly teach history, a Muggle Studies course that is woefully out of date, a Divination teacher who cannot teach the subject, for one is either born with the Sight or not, and many other problems beside. I have already begun addressing these problems, and will do my utmost to bring Hogwarts back to the excellent level of education it used to offer. There will be more courses, including a course on wizarding cultures and customs; the current subjects will be revised, with separate teachers teaching differing skill levels, and there will be more amenities such as clubs and parent visits. I will arrange for a front-page article detailing the planned changes as soon as I have narrowed them down, as the entire wizarding world, including your parents, are to be kept abreast of the changes. I am not like Dumbledore and certainly do not plan on hoarding information, nor am I planning the changes alone. If you have any course or club you would like to see established, please approach your Head of House with your suggestions; I welcome your input."

She clasped her hands together before finishing, "As I requested the last time I stood before you this way, I hope that we can all work together to the best of our abilities. Let us prove to the world that despite the hardships cast our way, we are capable of overcoming them and bettering ourselves." Minerva paused briefly to let her message sink in. "Thank you for your attention. Please read today's newspaper attentively in its entirety and write home to your parents; they all deserve to know what the situation within the castle is, and I will organize a visiting day post haste." With that she returned to her seat, acknowledging the applause she received with a relieved nod.

Severus, meanwhile, wondered how well a parent evening would go over when several of his charges would have to face the reality of their parents being in Azkaban.


	75. Chapter 75

CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE:

The Ministry of Magic was suffering from just as much upheaval as Hogwarts, and Amelia was once again suffering from the aftereffects of an all-nighter with the prospect of another long day ahead. A knock on her door was followed by the new Head of the DMLE entering her office, giving first her, then her protective detail nods in greeting.

"Report, Shacklebolt," she said curtly, knowing that he hadn't gotten any more sleep than she and trusting that he didn't expect her to waste any formalities on him.

"It appears that the prisoner had been planning on going to Nurmengard and freeing Grindelwald, giving the man all of his memories and magical power before his death," Kingsley informed her evenly, keeping his tone and demeanor professional despite the gravity of the message.

Amelia took a moment to assimilate that properly, her face entirely blank. "Lovely," she said once she was entirely sure that she had understood Dumbledore's plan. "When was he planning on executing this plan?"

"Monday morning," Kingsley replied promptly.

"Lovely," Amelia repeated blankly. "Just lovely. Thank Merlin Harry insisted on his trial being held as soon as possible," she said with more feeling. She didn't even want to consider what might have happened had she scheduled the man's trial for Friday as she had originally intended.

"Keep him as secure as possible, Shacklebolt; I don't even want anyone outside the Auror Corps knowing where he's being held. Ward his cell to high heavens and keep him closely monitored and subdued at all times. And get Skeeter – she's going to write us a book, and the sooner, the better."

OoOoO

Meanwhile at Grimmauld Place two men were poring over the Daily Prophet, noting with surprise that almost all mention of Harry had been taken out of the transcript and there was very little information on him included in the articles. No mention of either Lily or Snape being given a love potion, nor any hint about Harry's life with the Dursleys; it seemed that the time traveler's words had been followed to the letter.

"Good; Harry doesn't need that crap," Remus said decidedly, and Sirius agreed.

"I'm going to go get ready for my trial," the animagus said when they finished perusing the newspaper; Remus wasn't sure when he had last seen Sirius so nervous. "Got to look presentable!"

"You've never looked 'presentable' in your life," Remus objected with a grin.

"I'll have you know that I'm perfectly capable of looking presentable," Sirius turned up his nose the same way Hames had to Harry when leaving Privet Drive – not that he knew how similar he and the time traveler could be.

"Suuure," the werewolf retorted, his grin more of a smirk now. "Go on then, make yourself 'presentable' for the nice witches and wizards of the Wizengamot," he mimed a shooing motion with his hands. Only once the other man had left the room did Remus turn his attention to his own robes – it wouldn't do to turn up to the trials of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew in such shabby clothing. Oh, it hadn't been mentioned anywhere that Peter would also be on trial, but Harry had mentioned that the Aurors had him, and it was only logical that they would have him questioned right after Sirius had proven his innocence with a Veritaserum-influenced testimony. Unfortunately Remus had no better robes – but just as he was about to cast a series of charms on his clothing he thought of a better idea.

"Dobby?" he called, smiling when the house elf popped into the room. "Could you ask Harry if I can borrow a set of robes from him? I'm afraid I don't have anything suitable for today's trial." Normally Remus wouldn't have even thought of asking someone else for clothing, but for some reason he felt that Harry would prefer he ask than magically repair his shabby clothes.

"Master Harry is telling Dobby to bring Mister Lupin to Hogwarts!" Dobby declared when he reappeared, holding out his hand for Remus to take. Remus thanked the house elf and stood before taking the offered hand, finding himself at Hogwarts a moment later.

"Remus," Harry said warmly, and Remus turned to take his cub in a tight hug despite having seen him the previous day. "I'm glad you asked for Dobby, and you're welcome to take anything from the wardrobe," the young man gestured at it. "It's all Dad's clothing, so it doesn't fit me quite right, but a few sizing charms and it fits just fine. I can't stay," Harry said regretfully, "but take anything you want, okay? Just call for Dobby when you're ready to leave, and I'll see you at the trial. Give Sirius my best!" After another brief hug Harry left the room that Remus thought he recognized as one of the guest rooms in Gryffindor territory.

It was with a complicated smile that Remus turned and opened the wardrobe, breathing in the lingering scent of James Potter. "You'd be so proud of him, James," he whispered to the memory of his friend. "He's turned into a fine young man." Running his hand through the robes, Remus picked out a shirt that he remembered James having him try on once, the old compliment echoing in his mind as he pulled on the garment. Today he would be surrounded by his old friends.

OoOoO

The Gryffindors had all gathered back in their common room, mostly split into smaller groups to discuss the revelations of the morning.

"So are you gonna change into a completely different person now that Professor Dumbledore isn't drugging you anymore?" Seamus Finnegan asked Harry with a worried frown.

"I'm not sure," Harry replied, "but I don't think so. I mean, I'll definitely try to stop rushing into danger and use my head a bit more," he said with a sheepish grin, "but otherwise I feel pretty much the same. More Slytherin, though – did you know that the Sorting Hat wanted to put me there but I talked it out of it?"

Lavender gasped. "No way," Parvati gaped at him.

"Yeah," Harry grinned ruefully. "I'd probably be in the dungeons if not for Dumbledore's spells, and now that I don't have the spells on me anymore I don't mind that. I mean," he amended, "it would be pretty terrible to be stuck there with Malfoy and his sidekicks, and I'm pretty sure the Death Eater kids would have been pretty rotten to me, but I think otherwise I would have fit pretty well into Slytherin."

"He's got a point," Ron pointed out. "I mean, look at Hames – er, that's what we call Harry Potter-Black. It's too confusing calling them both Harry."

"Hear, hear!" the Weasley twins called as they dropped in on their group.

"Anyway, Hames is pretty damn Slytherin, no?" Ron pressed on undeterred. "Look at all the stuff he's managed – you've got to have some Slytherin traits to do that!"

"Cunning,"

"Intellect,"

"Wit,"

"Why weren't we sorted into Slytherin?" the twins exclaimed together, looking at each other with exaggerated looks of confusion.

"Probably because Dumbledore thought Snape would have enough headaches with you in another House," Ron muttered loud enough for the whole group to hear.

"You wound me, Ronniekins!" one of the twins clutched his heart dramatically.

"Our own brother!" the other twin feigned a faint.

"And what about Snape, eh?" Seamus said, awe in his voice. "I'd've never figured he'd apologize to anyone for anything!"

"Actually, he apologized to me in private for his attitude towards me," Harry said with a crooked grin. "It was pretty weird, but he seemed pretty okay to me. He'll probably apologize to you, too," he said to Neville. "Did you see the look he gave you after his public apology earlier? He seemed to really regret how he's treated you."

Neville seemed pretty uncomfortable at the thought of his most feared professor apologizing to him, but nodded hesitantly.

"Snape told me about my father yesterday," Dean said suddenly, everyone's attention turning to him. "It's mentioned in the transcript that Professor Dumbledore used a love potion on my mum and Blaise Zabini's dad, and Snape took us both aside yesterday to explain to us that we're half-brothers. It was real decent of him." At the surprised looks he nodded seriously. "And Blaise accepted his word without question, too, so I figure if he says something, he really means it," the boy said meaningfully. "When he doesn't have spells affecting him, anyways."

"I think you're right," Hermione nodded earnestly. "The Slytherins probably know him best, since Dumbledore probably didn't have many spells or potions interfering with how he treated them."

"I wonder what Potions class will be like now," Parvati said curiously.

"Probably not very different," Harry said realistically. "I doubt he's about to change his teaching style overnight, after all, and it might be hard for him to stop reacting the way he's gotten used to. I figure he'll make an effort to be more patient, though," he grinned at Neville.

"I don't think he has any patience when it comes to me," Neville said resignedly, clearly still afraid of the Potions professor.

"I think he might be more open to us pairing up, though," Hermione smiled at him reassuringly. "I'll ask him in class tomorrow." Neville looked surprised that she would offer – Ron, however, looked less pleased but wisely kept his mouth shut.

A/N: I mentioned in a reply to a reviewer that the students are already so used to strange things happening at school that I could almost see the revelation that their headmaster was drugging them met with a blank look followed by a shrug. "Eh – stranger things have happened." (The wizarding world is just a bit messed up, eh?)  
**ALSO!** Sorry, but there won't be an update tomorrow unless I manage to pull myself together and finish the chapter I have half-written, but it seems unlikely to happen! Why? Um, because I ended up reading a fanfiction for what must be the fifth time… If you've read the Protector of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce I HIGHLY recommend the fanfiction "Lady Knight Volant", which is the best fanfiction I have ever read and in my opinion should be published as a legitimate continuation to the series. (I can also highly recommend the Protector of the Small fanfiction "Fallen", which also is one of the best fanfictions I have ever read.) I apologize for the delay, but cannot apologize for rereading such an epic – for an epic it is. "Story" or "book" just doesn't do it justice. It's amazing.  
…I do hope to update again soon, though :)))


	76. Chapter 76

CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX:

The wizarding public was rather less blasé about Dumbledore's crimes than the Gryffindor students were; they certainly weren't wondering what Harry Potter's personality would be like now or whether Severus Snape would be more patient with his students. Instead, what Severus had endorsed to Harry had begun – people were questioning people in positions of authority.

"I always said that Dumbledore was bad news!" Fudge preached to the patrons of a Knockturn Alley pub. "He always acted so perfect, but I was right when I accused him of wanting to take control away from the Ministry! As Minister I abided by the public's wishes, basing my actions on the results of public approval tests – and look where that stance got me! Kicked out of office! Tell me, does that sounds reasonable to you? No! And if Dumbledore was so bad," he said, puffing out his chest, "then who says that this time traveler is any better? Yes, he killed Lord Thingy," he ignored the barman's snort at his inability to speak the true name of the mass murderer, "but then he went and turned everything on its head! Ruining honest men and changing our world anyway he likes! How do we know that we don't have another Dark Lord on our hands?"

Most people in the bar seemed more annoyed at his rant than anything else, but Fudge was only one person with this attitude – there were many others in Britain wondering about the integrity of the Lord Potter-Black, and some that were actively afraid of the amount of power he wielded. Then there were those that had figured out that he had gotten vaults full of gold by killing one man – and that they could do the same by killing him.

OoOoO

Sirius strode into the Ministry of Magic flanked by Remus Lupin and Harry Potter-Black, their capes billowing out behind them. Even the normally meek werewolf was dressed like a Pureblood, and the three of them cut an impressive picture as they made their way to the courtroom. That the Black Lord had no Auror guards was a testimony to the fact that everyone already believed Sirius to be innocent.

When they reached the courtroom the three of them strode right in, Remus giving Sirius's shoulder a brief squeeze before heading up to the public booth, Harry going to his seat in the Wizengamot ranks, and Sirius walking right over to the accused's chair and sitting in it, crossing his legs casually at the ankle and leaning back to wait for the trial to begin.

Then he stiffened, a growl escaping him at the sight of Peter Pettigrew being led into the room.

"Sirius," a warning voice rang out, and it was with no little difficulty that Sirius remained in his seat, crossing his arms to keep himself from going for his wand. Usually the wand was taken away from the accused before he – or she – entered the courtroom, but nobody had stopped to take his, which definitely was fine by him. Oh, how he wanted to kill the rat… but he hadn't two years before and he wouldn't this day, either. That didn't mean that he'd let the man out of his sight, however.

OoOoO

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall," Harry smiled at his Head of House, letting go of the chair he had rested a hand on for the brief conversation. "The trial shouldn't take that long, but I'll make sure to be back in Gryffindor Tower before curfew."

"I will be very much surprised if the trial lasts till then," the Transfiguration professor replied blandly. "However, I would appreciate your return before curfew, Lord Potter. You are aware that as a legal adult most Hogwarts rules no longer apply to you?"

"Yeah; Harry told me," the teenager nodded. "And please, calling me Mister Potter is fine. Being called Lord Potter is just too strange."

McGonagall inclined her head. "Very well, Mister Potter. If you do not wish to be late to the trial you will need to be on your way," she added with a glance at the clock.

"Right. Thanks again, Professor," Harry said, hurrying out. He couldn't apparate yet and according to Hermione house elves couldn't enter the Ministry – he wasn't sure why she knew that trivia, but supposed she must have come across it while researching for S.P.E.W – so he had the choice between flooing from the Three Broomsticks or taking the Knight Bus. He supposed flooing would be faster, but he could call the bus from the Hogwarts gates – not that he enjoyed either form of travel, if he was honest. Humming slightly as he jumped down three steps he decided that he'd choose when he reached the gates.

By the time he reached the Hogwarts gates, however, the question of how to get to the Ministry had become pressing – for by that point he was sprinting full-out for the exit, breathing heavily as another spell narrowly missed him.

"Too afraid to face us like a man, _Lord Potter_?" one of the pursuing men sneered, but Harry could hear that he, too, was short of breath.

_Oh, yes, because four against one is SO fair, _Harry thought snarkily, instead firing a few spells over his shoulder without looking back. The gates were so close, tall metal rising before him as he careened ever closer…

Then he was through them, bringing his wand forward to hold it up in the air, hoping that it would call the Knight Bus even though he'd had his wand out already for a different purpose, and to his relief the purple bus promptly came screeching into view. With no time to slow down Harry ran right into the door, jerked it open and threw himself inside the bus.

"GO!" he screamed, turning and casting a Stupefy at the nearest man before banging the door closed, seeing the man barely deflecting the spell with a shield as the bus screeched into movement, throwing Harry back into the first bed. "Sorry, Stan," he laughed breathlessly when he saw that he'd knocked over the conductor with his abrupt entrance. "In a bit of a hurry there." Trying to catch his breath, he said more politely to the driver, "To the Ministry of Magic, please."

"Blimey!" Stan exclaimed, pulling himself to his feet and dusting himself off, nearly falling over again when the bus gave an almighty lurch. "What was they after you for, eh?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at Harry before realizing who he was and going more bug-eyed than Harry had ever seen anyone look. "Why, you're Harry Potter!" he cried, and Harry couldn't help but grin.

"I figure that's why they were after me, too," Harry replied amicably, trying for dignity despite the fact that he was clinging to the bedpost for dear life. "Maybe I need a bodyguard," he joked. _Either that, or a lot more dueling practice. Maybe Harry can give me some tips..._

Stan just nodded emphatically, still appearing overwhelmed when Harry handed him his fare and stepped off the bus at his destination. Sighing slightly, Harry straightened his clothes and ran a hand through his hair, ignoring the Muggles' odd looks at his Hogwarts robes as he walked right up to the disguised entrance to the Ministry of Magic and slipped back into the wizarding world.

A/N: Oh man, I'm having some troubles focusing on this story right now. Currently I'm very much focused on a collection that happens to be inspired in a different story I've been working on for a year now, so I'm finding it a little hard to come down from this itching desire to work on that – I don't have much free time, you see, so it's either writing this story or working on that, and while I still want to work on this story it's just slower going right now. At this moment, for example, I'd rather draw than write, but I only have this chapter to offer you… *sigh* You see my dilemma! So I think I'll sit down and try to write some now, but if it doesn't work out well I won't have a chapter to give you tomorrow. Just a heads-up! (I'd apologize, but you do realize that I've spoiled you terribly with daily updates? I don't know of a single other author that does that!)  
Hopefully until tomorrow,  
CHARM


	77. Chapter 77

CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN:

"Minerva," Harry said flatly when the woman opened the door. "Please tell me why you had Harry walk to Hogsmeade instead of letting him floo to the Ministry of Magic."

The woman blinked at him, not quite gaping. "It did not occur to me. Did something happen?" There was concern in her tone now, and Harry scowled.

"Damn right something happened," he snapped irritably. "Harry was attacked by four men on his way to the Hogwarts gates. Why is it that Hogwarts, said to be the safest place on earth, allows people to enter its grounds with the intent to harm or even kill? Please tell me, because I haven't the foggiest."

Now Minerva definitely was gaping. "Why don't you come in," she said weakly, stepping aside to let the Lord enter. He grumbled something unfavorable but complied, only speaking again once the door was firmly shut behind him.

"What protections does Hogwarts have, Minerva?" he asked, turning to fix her with a reading look. "Harry's been in enough trouble over the years to be able to defend himself half-way decently, but I don't like that anyone can come and attack a students on Hogwarts grounds. Can anyone come and go as they please?"

"I… must confess that I am unsure of Hogwarts' protections," Minerva replied, her voice steady but her demeanor visibly shaken. "Albus mentioned wards, but I do not know the specifics."

Harry took a deep breath before releasing it deliberately slowly. "I suggest you find out." He left before he could throw any less diplomatic words at the Headmistress, knowing that he had just handed her another headache and yet unable to find it in him to care. That Harry had been attacked hit too close to home, and yet he knew they were lucky it had been him attacked – even Ron and Hermione, who had been with Harry through nearly all his adventures, would not have been able to defend themselves as well.

"Alastor should be willing to give the students some tips, at least," Harry muttered as he walked away. "Crouch Junior didn't even come close to Alastor's usual teaching style," he snorted absently, remembering the Death Eater's lessons and mentally comparing them to the things Alastor had taught him in the future. 'Constant vigilance' _was_ one of Alastor's favorite phrases, but he would never use it without making painfully clear what one had to be vigilant for. Harry had already given his younger self a few tips – mostly ones Harry had already known, like zigzagging while running – but the other students needed a lot of help.

"Maybe do the DA on a bigger scale," he said pensively. "I'm sure Filius would be happy to help illustrate the difference between formal dueling and street fighting…"

OoOoO

Meanwhile Sirius had just made it back to Grimmauld Place, having lingered at the Ministry to find a good mind healer. Unexpectedly, Kingsley had been the one to recommend a healer, telling him levelly that there had been Aurors who had needed the healer's care after the war. He hadn't said so, but something about his expression and phrasing had made Sirius think that Amelia had been one of them.

Seeing Amelia again had been even harder than he had feared. The young woman he had once known was gone, a grown and aged woman in her place, the biggest shock to him being her grey hair. When they had dated she'd had long, black hair, and the steel-grey bob cut made her look even sterner than the few wrinkles on her face did. She'd always been older than him, of course, but it had been brought painfully to his attention that she had aged considerably during his time in Azkaban, in ways he hadn't.

"Lord Black," she had greeted him after the trial had ended, the uncertainty in her eyes hurting him more than the title did.

He'd swallowed. "Minister Bones."

They had stood staring at each other for an intangible moment before her lower lip had quivered and he'd suddenly found her in his arms, her perfume different but the scent of her hair the same as before.

"Oh, Sirius," her voice broke, and he'd held her harder.

"I'm so sorry, Amelia," he had said, burying his face in her hair. "I was such an idiot; I should never have gone after Pettigrew…"

She hadn't replied, clinging to his robes and holding in the sobs though she couldn't keep the tears from soaking his vest. They could have stood that way for the rest of the day, but eventually an apologetic Auror had interrupted them to say that they had to close and lock the courtroom. Sirius and Amelia had broken apart reluctantly, the Lord pulling the handkerchief from his (now considerably moistened) chest pocket to offer to her, and Amelia accepting it with a hiccoughed laugh.

Once she had mopped herself up she had given him an intent look behind which vulnerability lurked and informed him, "You're inviting me over your house once you've seen a mind healer," the old dynamic sliding seamlessly into place.

"Of course, my lady," Sirius had replied with a crooked grin, the old words coming naturally. Amelia had laughed shakily again, then turned to go, leaving behind a hurting man with some hope to cling to.

OoOoO

Ron gaped at Harry, but Hermione groaned and pushed him lightly.

"Honestly, Harry – can't you go anywhere without getting into trouble?" she asked exasperatedly, and he held up his hands to fend her off.

"Hey, I don't go looking for trouble, it just finds me!" he protested, and Ron agreed.

"You know he's right," the redhead said reasonably, and Hermione groaned again.

"Maybe you really do need a bodyguard," she agreed with Stan.

Harry grinned. "I think I'd rather work on my dueling – Harry gave me some tips on how to fight and promised that he'd see about finding us a tutor. He also muttered something about getting us a house elf," he added, frowning slightly in thought. "Probably because of how Dobby blasted Malfoy down the hall when he tried to attack me in second year," Harry nodded understandingly.

"Wait, what?" Hermione exclaimed in shock. "Dobby blasted Malfoy down the hall? Malfoy _attacked_ you?"

"Yeah," Harry blinked at her, "didn't I mention it? After I killed the Basilisk Malfoy tried to get me expelled, and when Dumbledore stopped him he tried to attack me, but Dobby – who I had just tricked Malfoy into freeing – defended me. Blasted Malfoy right down the hall!"

Hermione just gaped at him, and Harry grinned sheepishly. "Er, I guess I didn't mention it…"

"No, you didn't," she sounded slightly choked. "Harry wants to get you a house elf bodyguard?" She sounded like she wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"I think he might get a house elf to help the three of us if trouble comes calling," Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure, really – he was talking to himself, after all. But it would make sense, I guess."

"Mate, I never knew Dobby was that strong," Ron whistled, clearly impressed. "Makes sense to have a house elf bodyguard, then! They can go near anywhere their master calls them, after all."

"Yeah," Harry agreed, glancing over at Hermione and seeing with relief that she seemed more pensive than indignant.

"Do you think Harry'll be at lunch?" she asked abruptly.

Harry thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Near as I know he doesn't have anything planned for today, but I don't know whether he'll have lunch in the Great Hall. He should be in the castle, though."

"Right," Hermione said decisively and stood, the boys traded apprehensive looks as they stood as well and followed her out of the common room. Harry caught Neville's eye on the way out and jerked his head with an inquisitive expression, mutely inviting the other Gryffindor to join them. Neville did, jogging slightly to catch up, and though Ron didn't seem best pleased he kept his mouth shut about the addition to their group.

"What's going on?" Neville whispered to Harry, clearly curious and even a little worried at Hermione's expression.

"Ah, she wants to quiz Harry about house elves," Harry whispered back with a grin. "Glad it's not me!" His grin widened unrepentantly at Hermione's harrumph. "If he isn't in the Great Hall she'll probably go looking for Snape's rooms, since Harry's staying with him." Neville seemed unsure why anyone would choose to stay with the Potions Master as well as deeply unwilling to go to the man's rooms.

"I wouldn't have to look for them; I know perfectly well where they are," Hermione replied primly, leading the way down the staircases.

"Oh, right – you're on first-name terms with the git," Ron grumbled.

"He's not a git," Hermione reproached him, but Neville gaped at her back.

"You're on first-name terms with Professor Snape?" he squeaked, and she looked over her shoulder at him with a rueful expression.

"Well, yes," she replied with a slight smile. "Harry – Hames, that is – is extremely close to the Professor, and since I'm a close friend as well Professor Snape invited me to use his first name in private. He calls me Hermione, too," she chuckled slightly. "It's a bit odd, but nice. He's actually rather pleasant now that he doesn't have spells making him hate us."

"True," Harry agreed wryly. "He's a decent sort, really. Did I mention that we might go on holiday together?" he asked his two friends, laughing at Neville's scandalized expression.

A/N: This chapter ended up flowing quite easily towards the end! So I think I should be able to continue writing without any problems :))) Yay!  
Also, I just looked up the word "wry" to find some good synonyms, and was shocked to see that most of the definitions were along the lines of "using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor" and "(of a person's face or features) twisted into an expression of disgust, disappointment, or annoyance". I have used the word wry fairly often to describe a crooked smile or grin, and to my relief that definition exists as well: "produced by a distortion or lopsidedness of the facial features". Phew! For a moment I was worried that I've been using the word wrong this entire time. And when I use the word "wryly", such as above when Harry agreed wryly with Hermione, I mean that he's conceding her point with a hint of irony, not that his tone of voice is dry. I hope I haven't been giving you all the wrong impression this whole time! I just can't think of any other word that expresses the complex emotions "wry" expresses to me.


	78. Chapter 78

CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT:

Harry and Severus were about to make their way to the Great Hall for lunch when Medusa announced visitors in a hiss that Harry understood by Parseltongue and Severus by the magic linking him to the statue.

"They may enter," Severus informed the statue, his eyebrows raised. "Longbottom willingly entering my rooms?" he muttered to Harry. "The world must be ending."

Harry laughed and replied quietly, "Behave!" before greeting the unexpected guests.

"Hi Severus," Hermione greeted just a bit too casually before rounding on Harry. "What's this about house elf bodyguards?"

Harry blinked, then burst out laughing. "I should have seen that coming," he said, pulling Hermione into a one-armed hug. "We were about to go have lunch; do you want to have it here instead?" he asked Severus as much as he did the teenagers.

"I would not be averse to dining here," the man replied equably, though his glance at Neville suggested that he didn't think the boy would appreciate having lunch in his professor's room.

"Right then," Hermione said, deciding for the teenagers by dragging Harry over to the couch and sitting them both down. Harry laughed but didn't take his arm away from around Hermione's shoulders.

"Alright, alright," Harry laughed, gesturing for the others to join them around the unlit fireplace. "Zipky?"

The house elf appeared with a pop, seeming overjoyed to be called upon. "Yes, Master Harry?" she squeaked happily, looking curiously at the other people present.

"Hi, Zipky," Harry greeted with a smile. "These are Severus, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Harry," he said, gesturing at each in turn. "Harry is me, just younger."

The house elf's brow creased. "There is two Master Harrys?"

"Yes," Harry grinned apologetically. "But you probably won't see him too often, so don't worry about it. I actually called you to meet Hermione," he squeezed the girl's shoulder, "because she doesn't know much about house elves." Hermione drew herself up to protest but a look from Harry had her keeping quiet – a reaction that didn't go unnoticed by her two friends, who would have sworn before that nobody could get her to subside without an argument.

"What is Miss wanting to know?" Zipky asked curiously, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet.

Hermione hesitated for a moment, clearly caught off balance, before asking tentatively, "Don't you mind being enslaved to a human?"

"Oh, no, Master Harry is being the best Master Zipky is ever having before!" the house elf enthused, clearly not knowing what a slave was but understanding the basic idea of the question.

"But your former Masters, then? Didn't you mind having to obey their orders?"

The house elf's ears drooped. "Zipky is not having good Masters before," she replied hesitantly, "but Zipky is having no other choice, Zipky is having to obey orders…"

Hermione leaned forward with a frown. "Then why didn't you leave them?"

Zipky stared at the girl with wide eyes. "Zipky is needing a Master or Zipky would die!" she exclaimed, and Hermione paused, somehow knowing that despite house elves' tendency to exaggeration this wasn't one.

"What do you mean, you'd die?" she asked slowly, clearly unwilling to believe it.

"House elves is needing a Master to survive," Zipky answered earnestly, and that fact was obviously news to Ron and Harry as well.

"You see why I said that Dobby is something of an oddity," Harry said to Hermione. "He's the only elf I know of that can live without a Master. But all house elves love to work, and he's no exception: When I offered him work he accepted immediately, and insisted on bonding instead of a contract – maybe because with a contract he wouldn't be able to hear if I called for him, but I don't think he'd even considered that. So you see, house elves need a Master, love work, and definitely can't be 'free elves' – what you need to change isn't the elves, but the humans. I'd like to think that my house elves are all very happy working for me," he smiled at Zipky, who nodded enthusiastically, "but there are other wizards who don't treat their house elves well. What you're doing with S.P.E.W. is blaming the victims instead of the aggressors, Hermione, and that's just not right. It's not the house elves' faults that they have to submit to humans who can do anything they want to them."

Suddenly Harry froze, a thought having occurred to him – one he didn't like at all. "Zipky, can house elves pop into Azkaban?"

Severus's eyes sharpened, understanding immediately what Harry was thinking, while the teenagers frowned in confusion.

"House elves is able to pop into bad place," Zipky confirmed reluctantly, "but not even for Master Harry is Zipky wanting to pop there…"

"Why not?" Harry asked, and Hermione felt that he had relaxed at the elf's reply.

Zipky shuddered convulsively. "Dementors," she said, and that was answer enough.

"Don't worry, I don't want you to pop to Azkaban, Zipky," Harry smiled reassuringly. "I was just afraid that the Death Eaters' house elves could pop them out."

"Oh, no, Master Harry," the elf replied immediately, "House elves is not willing to go to bad place, not even if it is meaning clothes," she said fervently. "But bad wizards is not having house elves anymore," Zipky said somewhat curiously. "Master Harry is claiming all house elves when Master Harry defeats bad, evil wizard."

Harry gaped. "I claimed all the Death Eaters' house elves when I claimed their possessions?"

Zipky didn't know what a possession was, but nodded. "Yes, Master Harry. There is other house elves Zipky told to be cleaning Potter and Black properties; is Zipky done bad?" The elf worriedly tugged at her left ear, and Harry hurried to reassure her that she hadn't done wrong.

"No, no – that's great, thank you! I'm just surprised that I have so many house elves without knowing… How many house elves _do _I have?" he asked her, clearly overwhelmed by this turn of events. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of the Death Eaters' house elves before; though had he thought of them he probably would have thought they were still bound to their former masters anyway.

"Zipky is not knowing how to count," the house elf answered hesitantly, clearly not wanting to admit it.

"Sorry, Zipky," Harry grimaced. "I'll make sure that you and the other house elves learn to count, and how to read and write as well. Some basic math wouldn't be bad, either…" he trailed off at the elf's tearful expression. "Eh, is that alright?"

"Master Harry is the best Master Zipky is ever hearing of," the house elf sobbed, launching herself at Harry and clutching his legs. Harry blinked, then took his arm away from around Hermione to reach down and pry the small elf away from around his legs, lifting her into his lap and holding her close.

"It's what any good master would do," he demurred, Zipky burrowing further into his robes at the pleasant discovery that she could hear her Master's heartbeat and feel vibrations in his chest when he spoke. He looked up and met his younger self's gaze helplessly. "Eh, well…"

Harry laughed at his older self cradling a house elf like a child. "Well," he said, "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry! Are we going to eat anytime today?" Harry, finding his hands occupied, stuck out his tongue at his younger self.

A/N: As I was writing the line "What you're doing with S.P.E.W. is blaming the victims" I realized that with that line I was mentally comparing house elves to rape victims. It's a topic that resonates with me as a woman, of course, and the (to me) incomprehensible habit of blaming the victims is abhorrent to me. It rather shocked me to find myself accusing Hermione of the same thing concerning house elves – blaming the victim for the acts of the aggressor. Intriguing.


	79. Chapter 79

CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE:

"Mister Longbottom," Severus said softly as the students stood to leave after their meal. "Might I have a word?" He felt a brief pang at the fearful expression of his student, but then the Gryffindor took a deep breath and straightened.

"Yes, Professor?" he asked, clearly doing his best to sound unconcerned though there was an edge to his voice.

Severus flicked a look at the lingering students. "Privately?"

"We'll wait outside the door," Hermione said, as much to oblige Severus as to reassure Neville. "See you later, Severus, Harry!"

"Goodbye Hermione, Mister Weasley, Mister Potter," Severus nodded to each in turn while Harry added his own cheerful farewells. Turning his attention back to Longbottom he suggested they sit, and while Neville appeared apprehensive Harry's presence seemed to reassure him.

"I wished to apologize to you for my past treatment of you," Severus got straight to the point when they were seated, his voice tinged with regret. "I am not aware of Dumbledore's reasoning, but fact is that he had me under a series of spells which included spells forcing me to hate Gryffindors, and especially you and Mister Potter. I realize that there is no pardon for my words and actions, but I ask that you accept my apology with the spirit of regret it is offered in, as well as the knowledge that I hope to treat my students better in the future. As we have already discussed, you will be partnering up with Hermione in class, and my hope is that my teaching style will change for the better. I believe you would agree that you have no great talent for brewing, but your exceptional talent for Herbology indicates to me a certain natural aptitude for Potions; one that I have regrettably stunted with my verbal abuse over the years. It is my hope that we might start anew and bring out that potential, and I would be open to allowing you access to the classroom outside of class times should you wish for private tutoring by either Hermione or me. That is perhaps a ways off still," he conceded, "but the thing I regret most is that in your third year your boggart assumed my form." He allowed his pain to show on his face, knowing he had previously only been angered that his image had been ridiculed but now was deeply hurt that he would be the thing a student of his feared most – more even than the Death Eaters that had tortured his parents into insanity. "For that, I apologize sincerely, and truly hope that when I depart from Hogwarts at the end of this school year we may part on better terms."

He fell silent then, his eyes never leaving the teenager's face as it went through a range of strong emotions, the prevalent one being stunned disbelief.

"My boggart isn't you anymore," the boy blurted out eventually, turning bright red when he realized what he'd said. "It hasn't been since Crouch showed us the Cruciatus curse in fourth year," he admitted more quietly, his gaze on the carpet instead of his teacher. A hand came to rest on his knee and he looked up into Harry's pain-filled face, finding understanding there and swallowing his own pain.

Looking over at his teacher and seeing the man's complex expression he took a deep breath. "I accept your apology, Professor, and though I won't say I'm not still scared of you," he swallowed, "I would like what you described. Parting on better terms, I mean, and learning to brew properly," Neville explained. Visibly shoring his courage he stood and held out his hand to the Potions Master.

"Thank you," Severus said softly, standing and gripping the teenager's hand while Harry looked on approvingly. "I look forward to tomorrow's lesson," he said honestly. Severus would grasp the chance to gain the students' honest respect with both hands, knowing that he only would be teaching for another two and a half months and intending to make the most of that time. He wanted to leave Hogwarts able to expect respect rather than loathing – and he had heard some of the rumors concerning him after Voldemort's demise. Several rumors painted him in a ridiculously heroic light, and though he disliked the fiction he was Slytherin enough to turn it to his advantage. It was perhaps too late to change the opinions of his former students, but the thought that his current students could see him go still thinking him the bastard Dumbledore had painted him to be hurt more than he had anticipated.

"I suppose I'll see you at dinner, Professor; Harry," Neville said in a subdued voice as he made his farewells. The two adults confirmed that they would be there, and once Neville had left Harry turned to Severus with a tender smile.

"I'm so proud of you," he said warmly and hugged his lover, feeling Severus's arms come up around him.

Severus needed a moment before he could speak, Harry's words having evoked a strange constricting emotion he had never felt before. "You are the first to say so to me," he managed to say eventually, the emotion clearly audible in his voice. Harry just held him closer.

"Well, I am. So, so proud. That can't have been easy for you or Neville, and I'm just so proud of both of you." He still had that tender smile on his face when he leaned back to give Severus a deep kiss, affirming without words that he meant it. Severus, still almost having trouble breathing from the force of this unknown emotion, returned the heartfelt kiss deeply, drinking in Harry's honest emotions for him and knowing that he would do almost anything to hear those words again. Gone were the thoughts of the students' respect – he would be the best professor he was capable of being if it meant that Harry would look at him with that heart-wrenchingly tender expression, blessing him with that warm smile and heartfelt words. No one had ever felt pride in him before, and hearing the words was so good that it hurt. Gasping a breath as Harry moved his mouth away to kiss Severus's neck he became aware that he was crying, but Harry seemed to understand as he lowered him to the rug, making sweet love to him in front of the fireplace.

"Take me," Severus gasped as he arched under Harry, suddenly needing to feel this man claim him in a way he had thought he'd never want another man again, and to his relief Harry didn't question it, continuing his ministrations with an added tenderness that made Severus ache all the way into his bones. The new tears that sprung to his eyes at the dull pain and sharp memories were kissed away gently by his lover, and soon he was crying out in mindless pleasure, reduced to a quivering, panting wreck as Harry did everything in his power to please the incredible man he found himself falling ever deeper in love with. Then Severus found release with a strangled cry, and Harry wasn't long after, nuzzling his lover's neck in the panting aftermath.

"I love you, Severus," Harry whispered against the sweaty neck, and Severus gave a breathy sob as he felt the sweet emotion constrict around his heart again.

He couldn't respond due to his suddenly constricted throat and simply buried his face in Harry's shoulder, letting his tears flow. Harry seemed again to understand and held him close, his warm body completely covering Severus's and reassuring him wordlessly that this wasn't just a dream or passing moment, but real and constant, Harry's pride and love more than Severus had ever experienced or hoped for in life but something he now knew he would cling to with every fiber of his being. When his tears abated he fell into an exhausted sleep, his mind and body warmed by the younger man who held him close, watching over him as he slept.

A/N: *sighs deeply with a complex smile*The last lemon was in Chapter 32, and took place about two weeks ago (in the story). Two weeks is a terribly short time to go from not anticipating ever wanting to be penetrated again to needing it, but their relationship has been developing at an astounding rate and with such strong emotions in play that this just felt right to me, and to Severus. I nearly cried myself writing this – I could feel Severus's emotions so vividly, and I hope I managed to convey them to you as well. I love this pairing so much.


	80. Chapter 80

CHAPTER EIGHTY:

When Severus awoke some time later he found that they had shifted slightly, legs tangled and Harry's head resting on his right shoulder. The sight of a tousled mess of black hair resting on his chest was coming to be comfortingly familiar, but this time it brought a soft smile to Severus's lips that would have shocked his students even more than his public apology had. With a content sigh Severus moved his left hand up to stroke Harry's hair, pausing slightly at the sight of his unblemished left forearm.

Tomorrow marked ten days since the Dark Lord's – no, Voldemort's – death, and the Dark Mark had begun to fade immediately afterwards. A week later the Mark had already faded completely, leaving all Death Eaters with unmarked forearms, but the sight of smooth, unmarked skin was still something Severus wasn't used to.

"It's been over a week now, hasn't it?" Harry asked softly, his voice somewhat sleepy but alert.

"It has," Severus acknowledged just as softly, lowering his hand again to rest it on Harry's back. A thought occurred to him and he asked, "What did you do with the chain Voldemort gave you?"

Harry seemed to consider that for a moment. "Ah, that?" he asked then, clearly having forgotten about it. "It's in the pocket where Snake Face and Nagini are; I keep forgetting to destroy them."

Severus paused disbelievingly. "You still have their bodies?" he asked blankly, and thought he felt Harry grimace.

"Er, yeah. Hold on, I'll go get them." Extricating himself from their entanglement, Harry gave Severus a brief kiss and walked, completely naked, to the coat-hanger next to the door where two of his cloaks hung. "There it is," he said after some rummaging around, walking back over to Severus with a small box in his hand. Severus felt that he would find the sight of Harry walking around naked far more arousing if he didn't have the corpse of a Dark Lord in one hand.

Kneeling beside Severus in front of the fire Harry carefully slid off the lid of the box to check that the contents were still there, grimacing in distaste as he did so. "Yep, still there, and the stasis charms held," he said, grabbing his wand from where it lay to dispel the charms. "Any last words before I destroy this?" Harry asked his lover, part curiously, part humorously.

Severus quirked an eyebrow. "I cannot believe you didn't do this a week ago," he said blandly, and Harry grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, well…" He shrugged. "Better late than never, right?" With that he tossed the closed box into the fire, both of them watching as it was slowly consumed by the flames. Only once it was completely reduced to ashes Harry sighed deeply and banished the entire contents of the fireplace, flicking new wood into the vacant space and starting a new fire.

The silence continued for a moment longer, then Harry shrugged slightly. "Well, that's dealt with," he declared, setting down his wand and sliding over to lie back down on Severus, both of their bodies reacting to the sudden skin contact. "Mmmh," Harry hummed, leaning down to kiss Severus languidly. "I could get used to this."

"I would not object," Severus replied, smoothing his hands down Harry's sides and over his hip bones, still more prominent than he would like. Nutrient potions, dutifully taken by Harry, were helping, but it was slow going. Not that Severus was one to talk – he was rather bony himself, although that was by choice and not forced rations. At least Harry was slowly putting on some healthy weight.

Deciding that it didn't matter at the moment, Severus tilted his head to kiss Harry again more demandingly.

OoOoO

"Good morning, class," Severus said as he opened the door to let his first class of the day enter the classroom. To his surprise all of the Gryffindors returned his greeting – excepting Patil and Brown who immediately began whispering to each other – though only Hermione replied with a smile. Of the Slytherins only Zabini and Draco echoed the greeting, the others appearing somewhat taken aback at the pleasantry offered in front of Gryffindors.

Once everyone had taken their usual seats Severus closed the door, doing so by hand instead of using the spell he usually did that banged the door shut. To the students' pleased surprise the room was more brightly illuminated than they were used to, which Severus knew would help them in the future when reading instructions and preparing ingredients.

"Today we will be reviewing basic brewing procedures," Severus began, crossing the room and turning to face his students with a flare of his robe, "including the reasons behind the differences in ingredient preparations, number and direction of stirs, and the timing of additions to a potion."

"Finally!" Harry exclaimed quietly, and Severus raised an eyebrow at him.

"Potter," he said simply, and the boy grinned at him.

"Sorry, Professor. But really!"

Severus snorted, feeling the tension in the classroom lighten at the humorous exchange. "Thank you for that enlightening contribution," he said drily, Harry's continued grin taking any offense out of his words. "We will begin by discussing ingredient preparation. Patil, why is the preferred preparation method of sweetroot dicing and not slicing or grinding?" He had quite deliberately chosen her as a student who rarely participated in class but tended to get acceptable grades on the exams.

Parvati blinked. "Because that way it takes longer for the pieces to release all of the moisture in them?" she answered questioningly, and Severus nodded.

"Correct. Five points to Gryffindor." All of the Gryffindors sat up straighter at that, surprise on more than one face. None of them could remember him ever giving Gryffindor points. "Greengrass, how would you prepare poppy seeds and why?"

"It depends, sir," she replied respectfully. "For most potions I would crush the poppy seeds, grinding them into powder, but for the Wit-Sharpening Potion whole poppy seeds are required."

"There are two other potions that take whole poppy seeds," Severus informed her, "the antidote to Veritaserum, and the Memory Potion. Two potions that require crushed poppy seeds are the Forgetfulness Potion and Veritaserum. Thus, what is the obvious difference between adding whole poppy seeds and adding ground poppy seeds to a potion?"

"Whole poppy seeds help strengthen the mind, while ground poppy seeds weaken it," Daphne replied, seeming just as surprised as most of the other students though she hid it better. They had never considered what individual potion ingredients did to affect a potion, only accepted that combining ingredients in a certain way, at certain times, with certain preparations, resulted in a certain potion. Severus merely nodded, seeing that the class was beginning – finally – to see what had attracted him to potions.

"Correct, Miss Greengrass. Ten points to Slytherin." Looking back over at the Gryffindor side of the room, he asked, "What is a squill bulb, how would you obtain one, and how would you prepare it for use in a potion? Mister Longbottom?"

The boy looked taken aback at being called upon, but comprehension dawned on his face. "A squill bulb comes from the Lumbargh tree, which grows only in the northern region of Scotland," the boy began softly, his voice gaining strength as he realized that his professor was nodding encouragement, "and can only be harvested once a year, on Samhain. That's the only time of the year when the bulbs emerge from within the tree, and you need an iron sickle to cut them where the bulb meets the bark of the trunk, making sure to store the bulbs in a dark container once Samhain has passed." The boy licked his lips slightly in thought before continuing, "When preparing a squill bulb for a potion you have to juice it, preferably by pressing it between two iron slabs."

Severus's eyebrows had both risen by now, and he nodded slowly. "Excellent, Mister Longbottom. Do you perchance also know which potion a squill bulb is used in?"

Longbottom blinked once, then his eyes slid down in thought. "Felix Felicis," he replied before long, and unlike Patil's answer his wasn't phrased as a question.

"Correct," Severus confirmed, impressed despite himself and letting it show slightly in his face. "I had heard about your aptitude for Herbology but confess that I had not expected such a detailed response. Have twenty points for Gryffindor."

Turning smoothly back to the Slytherin side of the classroom and ignoring the reactions of his students, particularly the stunned pride of Neville Longbottom, he continued his little question-and-answer session. It however did not escape his notice how Hermione beamed at Longbottom, nor the way the boy sat straighter for it. He thought he understood better now why Longbottom had braved the Potions Master's private quarters despite his fear of the man.

A/N: Oh, yeah. Competent teacher Snape FTW! I really enjoyed writing this, and do we doubt that Severus is going to get that respect he longs for? Not a chance in Hell, I say! :))) And I love that Severus is surreptitiously encouraging Neville's self-confidence. How good was his answer! I'd bet even Hermione couldn't have answered the question in such detail! Ah, it makes me happy.  
Incidentally, the addition of the squill bulb to Felix Felicis introduces the aspect of "luck" to the potion, through the fortune of harvesting the bulb at that very specific time in that specific location as well as the spiritual influence of Samhain that manifests itself as near-silent inner voices advising you to a specific course of action when under the effects of the potion. Squill bulbs are also only stored in dark places, since exposing them to the light of day (Muggle or magical lighting, as long as it's not a Solaris spell, are fine) renders them useless. Just a bit of (completely made-up) trivia!


	81. Chapter 81

CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE:

While Severus was busy with his first class Harry stayed in the dungeon quarters, having an hour to spare before the first trial of the day would begin.

Deciding to try something, he said clearly, "Could all Potter and Black house elves come here?" To his surprise it worked, one earsplitting crack sounding as a large number of house elves appeared simultaneously. Harry's ears were ringing from the noise, not having clapped his hands up over his ears fast enough to block out the sound, but the number of house elves present had his eyes widening.

Inhaling deeply and dropping his hands, his eyes roamed over the faces looking up at him. "You're all either Potter or Black elves?" he asked incredulously, and saw Dobby cocking his head at him.

"Of course, Master Harry!" the elf replied, and Harry saw several of the other elves give Dobby shocked or horrified looks for speaking to a Master in such a way.

Harry sighed. "Alright, let's get a bit of order in here. All Potter elves please stand on the right," he gestured, "and the Black elves on the left." Dobby immediately bounded off to the right while Winky, Zipky, Lurch and Reggy moved over to the left. The other elves looked either confused or apprehensive at not being able to follow an order.

"We is Potter-Black elves, Master," an unusually small elf spoke up shyly, and when Harry saw that another elf was going to shush her he gave her a smile despite his growing headache.

"Thank you, that's good to know. What's your name?" he asked kindly, and the little elf smiled delightedly at him.

"I is Skip!" she – at least, he was pretty sure it was a female elf – replied happily, and his smile grew.

"That's a great name, Skip," he said, and she beamed at him. "So you're all Potter-Black elves?" he asked the wider group, receiving nods and squeaked "Yes, Master"s in reply. "So you serve both the Potter and Black families? Or do you only serve me?" The house elves looked unsure.

"Skip," Harry addressed the small elf, leaning over to be closer on her height, "will you hear it if someone not a Master calls your name?"

"No, Master," the elf replied promptly, shaking her head. "Skip is not hearing a call from anyone but a Master."

Harry hummed pensively, then stood. "I'll be back in just a minute, okay? I'm going to go see if someone can call you, so appear if you hear a call, alright, Skip?"

"Yes Master!" Skip squeaked, the elves parting before him as he made his way to the door.

"Oh, and Dobby, Winky, Zipky, Reggy, Lurch? You can go back to what you were doing. Thank you for coming." A murmur went through the present elves when he said all of their names – a lot of Masters only called them "elf" instead of learning their names. Being thanked for appearing was something completely new to the elves as well, and they watched incredulously as the Black elves bowed and popped away, Dobby giving their Master a grinning salute before doing the same. To their surprise their Master only grinned, shaking his head slightly, and repeated that he'd be right back before heading out the door. As soon as the door closed behind him hushed conversations started – Black Zipky had told them that their Master was wonderful, but this was much, much more than they had expected.

Meanwhile Harry swiftly made his way to Severus's classroom, knocking three times and waiting for the call to enter before opening the door. To his surprise he found that the classroom was brighter than he had ever seen it, all students focused on their teacher with obvious interest, and Harry couldn't help but grin as he took a step inside.

"Sorry for the interruption," he apologized. "I just need Harry to say one word for me and then I'll be gone, I promise." Severus simply inclined his head, so Harry craned his head to catch Harry's eye, then paused. "Wait, I can't say the word myself otherwise this won't work," he realized, and jogged over to the desk his younger self sat at. Grabbing his quill, he jotted down 'SKIP' before giving Harry an expectant look.

"Skip?" the teenager said cautiously, and Harry rolled his eyes. "She's a house elf. Try calling her."

"Skip," came the prompt call, but nothing happened.

"Huh," Harry said, straightening again and putting down the quill. "I guess that means that she only answers to a Potter-Black, and not a Potter or a Black." Pausing, he turned to look at Draco Black. "Could you give it a try?"

Draco sneered but complied, and again nothing happened. "Alright, only Potter-Blacks, then," Harry nodded. "Thanks, Severus," he smiled at his lover, who quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Anytime, Harry," the man drawled drily, and Harry laughed, suddenly tempted to have Severus try to call Skip but knowing that doing that would make their relationship obvious to the students. They already looked shocked enough at their Professor calling him by his first name. Giving Severus a parting smile he jogged out again, rejoining his new house elves.

"Alright, it looks like you only answer to Potter-Blacks," Harry smiled at the small congregation who had clearly been discussing something – probably him – animatedly while he was gone. "That isn't all too useful, though, so I'll be bonding you into either the Potter or the Black family, alright? I'm the only Potter-Black, and I'd like you to be able to answer to others as well." Some of the house elves looked apprehensive at the thought of having more Masters, but most seemed excited.

"Alright, let's see. Are any of you friends already, or family? Please stand together if you'd like to go to the same House, and if any of you prefer one House over the other please choose a side to stand on. Again, Potter House on the right and Black House on the left." The house elves looked dazed at being offered such a choice but shifted until they were standing in small groups, a few elves choosing the Potter family but none drifting over to the left side of the room.

"So you don't care which family you go to?" he asked the middle group for clarification, and had to smile at Skip's happy "Nope, Master!". "Great," he said, going down on one knee to face them properly. "Then I'll bring you into the Potter family first," he smiled over at the few elves standing to his right, and they approached when he waved his hand invitingly.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to remember all of your names," he said apologetically to the group, "but I'd like to hear each of your names anyway. Shall we start with you?" he smiled at a lanky elf who looked like he wasn't quite done growing yet. Holding out his hand, it took a moment before the elf hesitantly grasped it, his expression suggesting that he couldn't believe a Master was giving him his hand.

"What's your name?" Harry asked with a friendly smile, and the elf swallowed before saying quietly, "Jips, Master."

"Nice to meet you, Jips," the Lord replied, giving the hand in his a reassuring press. "I, Harry James Potter-Black, take Jips the house elf into the Potter family." A flare of blue light enveloped the two figures, and Harry felt a soft awareness of the elf settle into his magical core – not as strongly as Dobby's had, but maybe that was because of the bond of friendship he and Dobby shared. "Welcome to the House of Potter," Harry said, not releasing the elf's hand just yet. "Please call me Master Harry, or Master Potter-Black if there are formal guests around. There's only one other member of House Potter at the moment – the new Lord Potter, Harry Potter, who's a younger version of myself." Suddenly Harry grinned. "You can call him Master Jarry." He had heard from Severus that his younger self, Ron and Hermione had given him the nickname 'Hames', so it seemed proper payback to give his younger self an equally terrible nickname.

"That goes for all of you soon-to-be Potter elves, by the way," he said, letting go of Jips' hand at last and motioning for him to step aside. "Also, there are two things that are not negotiable. All my elves are given one galleon a week and a day off a month; what you choose to do with your money and free days are up to you, but you are my servants and not my slaves." The idea of being paid stirred them up, and not in a good way, but Harry continued talking. "The second non-negotiable thing is that no matter the circumstances, no matter the order, and regardless of who's giving you the order, NONE of you is EVER to obey an order that would cause you physical harm. That means not to iron your ears, shut your fingers in the oven, bash your head against the wall… I don't care what you've done, but if there's something that merits punishment then we'll figure something better out. Personally, I think my punishment of choice would be for you to spend time standing in a corner, or an entire week where you're not allowed to do any work." He shrugged at their horrified looks. "That's a pretty bad punishment to you, isn't it? Not being allowed to do anything?"

"That's so mean," Skip whispered, and Harry laughed.

"Yes! But that's the point, isn't it? Punishment is to ensure that you don't do something again that you're not supposed to, but having you hurt yourselves is just cruel. I don't think I'll need to punish any of you – I'm sure you're all excellent house elves – but I wanted to find something that doesn't hurt you."

"A wise choice," a voice said from the back, and Harry smiled at the elf that appeared nearly ancient.

"Thank you. That reminds me, too – you'll all be learning to read, write, count, and do basic math. That, too, is non-negotiable, as is the fact that you'll all get a uniform to wear. You saw the outfits Winky and Dobby were wearing?" Scattered nods, and some very excited expressions. "Well, you'll all get one of those; in fact, I hope to visit the tailor right after we finish here. How does that sound?" A cheer went up among the house elves, and Harry grinned.

"Alright then! Let's finish with the Potter elves and then we'll see where to put the rest of you," he smiled at the closest elf. "Your name is?"

And so it went, Harry accepting elves into the Potter family before going to fetch the records of the many properties he now owned. Once he realized that the House of Potter had more properties to maintain than the House of Black he swore another half of the remaining house elves into the Potter family before bonding to most of the others as Lord Black. Addressing all of the house elves he had already sworn into the two families, he told them that he now owned a lot of other properties and that they could decide between themselves which house elves would clean and maintain which, but that they no longer served any families that might live in the houses.

"Any former Death Eaters that go free no longer own you, and if they want to have a house elf work for them they'll have to pay that elf wages to cook and clean. The house elf still answers to me and doesn't have to do anything he or she isn't paid to do, and if there are any problems with the employers the house elf should immediately come to me and I'll deal with it. Would any of you be interested in such a job? I'm afraid that there won't be much chance to cook for the Potter family, at least, so working for another family will give you something to do." Several house elves indicated that they'd be interested in it, realizing that there really wouldn't be much work when there were only five people in the Potter and Black families.

"Great," Harry smiled at them. "I don't know yet which families might need house elves, but I'll let you know as soon as I can." Turning to the last remaining unbonded elves, he gestured for them to come closer.

"I would like for a friend or two to have a house elf, for various reasons. My younger self, Harry, doesn't need someone to cook or clean for him, but he needs a house elf that acts as a bodyguard and a chauffeur," he chuckled slightly. "In other words, he needs a house elf who can pop him around and protect him from bad wizards wanting to kill him. Do any of you think you'd like to work for him?" There were exchanged glances and hesitations before a small house elf stepped forward, almost as short as Skip but without her obvious young age.

"Radley is prepared to protect Harry Potter, Master," the male said in an unusually deep voice for a house elf.

"Thank you, Radley. Is it alright if you bind to Harry himself, or would you prefer me to bind you to the Potter family?"

The house elf hesitated briefly, then said, "Radley would be preferring to bind to Harry Potter. Master is not minding that Radley would not be answering to Master's calls?" he looked worried.

"Not at all, Radley!" Harry exclaimed, gesturing at all the other house elves with a broad motion. "Have you seen all these other house elves I can call on? No, I'll be happy to have you answer only to Harry; he needs the help, and I hope you'll serve him long and well."

"Radley will be doing his best, Master," Radley said, bowing deeply and shocked to find Harry mimicking the motion (which was decidedly awkward when crouching, he found).

"Alright, then I'll introduce you to him later today. Then, I'd like a house elf willing to serve a werewolf."

A collective shudder went through the small crowd, and Harry blinked. "Sorry, that might have been poorly phrased. I have a very good friend who's like a father to me. His name is Remus Lupin, and once a month he turns into a werewolf, though I assure you I'll ensure he gets the Wolfbane Potion every month from now on. He's very independent and doesn't really need a house elf, but I would like one willing to help him when he's weak before and after the full moon. If none of you are, don't feel like you have to volunteer because I'm asking for it."

There was a long silence as Harry let the elves consider it, seeing that the Black and Potter elves had understood that they were to consider it as well. Finally one of the unbonded elves stepped forward, trembling slightly but standing her ground.

"I will, Master Harry," she said, and though there was a slight tremor in her voice she looked at Harry resolutely, her gaze almost daring the wizard to doubt her.

"Wonderful," Harry surprised her by beaming at her in relief. "What's your name?"

"Fiona, Master Harry," the elf replied, and Harry looked his surprise at the unusually human name.

"That's a beautiful name, Fiona," he said honestly, and she blushed bright red. "I'll introduce you to Remus as soon as I can, and please remember that if you don't like working for him you can always come to me and I'll talk to him for you. He's an extremely gentle person, so I know he'd never hurt you, but if you don't like him as a Master but don't want to tell him so then just come to me, okay?"

Fiona looked completely taken aback at the offer of help to a house elf that wouldn't even be bound to him, but managed to nod her assent, stepping to the side with a deeply contemplative look that Harry had never seen on a house elf before.

Seeing that Skip was looking slightly afraid that she wouldn't get a family he beckoned her forward with a mischievous smile. "I have something very special for you, Skip," he said conspiratorially, and the girl immediately perked up.

"Yes, Master Harry?" she piped up excitedly.

"I have two very special friends," Harry began with a grin. "They're going to be leaving school soon to start up their own joke shop business, Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, and they'll need a good house elf to remind them to eat as well as help them in the shop. They might want your help when creating jokes, too – at least, I'm sure that you can come up with a lot of ideas for them. What do you think?"

Skip was bouncing on the tips of her toes with excitement. "Skip is thinking it sounds very fun, Master Harry! Is Master Harry sure they will need Skip?" she asked, a little bit of uncertainty shining through her excitement, and Harry immediately reassured her that the Weasley twins were sure to need her help.

"I'll introduce you to them soon, and though I'm sure you won't have any issues you know you can come to me for anything, right?"

"Yes, Master Harry!" the house elf agreed immediately, bouncing off to the side with an exuberance that made Harry laugh.

"Let's see – staying on the topic of the Weasleys, I would like one of you to join the Weasley family. Mrs. Weasley loves to cook, so I'm not sure how much cooking there would be to do, but there's a messy house, plenty of older children, and an orchard complete with gnomes to deal with. Do you think that might interest you?" he asked a specific house elf he had left aside because something about the elf reminded him of Arthur Weasley. The elf immediately agreed, sheepishly confessing that he was a terrible cook, and Harry turned to the last remaining house elf. Before he could say anything, though, the elf spoke up.

"I'm too old to do much more than tidy up a bit, young wizard," the ancient elf said, giving him a shrewd look. "Somehow I do believe you knew that, however. Tell me, what were you thinking for me? Or did you plan on simply letting me go?"

"No, of course not," Harry replied immediately, now even more sure than before that his idea was a good one. "Have you heard of Hermione Granger?"

The old elf's gaze sharpened. "The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare?" she snorted, and Harry grinned.

"Yeah, that one. She's slowly come to recognize that she wasn't going about it the right way with S.P.E.W., though, and I thought that you might be able to educate her on house elves, if that's alright with you." He only said that much, recognizing that this elf was possibly more educated than he was, and certainly much older. She didn't need persuading as the other elves had.

"It is not a poor idea," the elf admitted after a long silence in which she measured up Harry with her eyes. "I will accept a bond with Hermione Granger."

"Thank you, Madam..?"

"Kerrilee," the elf supplied with a small nod. "I look forward to meeting the young witch."

"I'm sure she will appreciate your age and experience," Harry returned in a similarly formal tone, inclining his head in turn. Standing, he moved to crouch before all the house elves once more. "I'm sorry that I can't organize all of you similarly," he said to the Potter and Black elves, "but please work together to take care of the properties I find myself owning. If someone is living in a property don't take care of it, and if any of you need help with anything please come to me, though preferably not when I'm in an important meeting or having sex," he grinned, somewhat surprised at how many elves blushed at his blunt words. Kerrilee merely snorted in amusement.

Checking his watch, he continued, "I'm afraid I have to get to the Ministry now, but I'll try to introduce you to your soon-to-be Masters soon, and arrange for uniforms for you all as well. I'm afraid it might take a while before you're all properly dressed, since the tailor will have to make quite a few outfits… Wait, let me count you so that I can tell her how many we need," he said, dashing to grab a piece of parchment and a pencil off Severus's desk before jotting down the number of male and female Potter and Black elves, as well as the gender of the other elves who would need other colors than those of the Black or Potter crests. That done, he folded the parchment and tucked it into a pocket, asking if there were any questions before he left. A chorus of "no"s returned and he couldn't help but smile, noticing that the headache he'd had in the beginning was long gone.

"Then I'll call you when I can," he nodded in the direction of the unbonded elves, "and now I really need to go. Thank you all for coming!" Knowing that in a moment they would all be popping out he stuffed his fingers in his ears, even so wincing at the tremendous crack. Shaking his head with a wry smile he hurried off to the Ministry for the next round of Death Eater trials.

A/N: Whoa, long chapter! And a few things to address/clarify here.  
1) Dobby heard Harry calling his name before they were formally bonded because sometimes elves form a kind of sympathetic bond with a wizard they're not bonded to. All of the elves that appeared when Harry called for elves in this chapter have this sympathetic bond with him due to his claiming of them, but don't have a formal bond with him. Dobby also formed sympathetic bonds with the people closest to Harry so that he could hear them if they called him – Remus being one of them, since you might remember him calling Dobby before Sirius's trial.  
2) Harry specified that the house elves not interrupt him during sex because it happened with Dobby in the future. Oh, he knows that Dobby is something of an oddity and other elves are unlikely to interrupt him for something that isn't urgent, but he definitely doesn't want a repeat of that!  
3) Aren't the elves so cool? I'm really looking forward to Hermione and Kerrilee meeting, as well as the Weasley Twins and Skip, Harry and Radley, and Remus with Fiona. Such interesting characters! They'll be a lot of fun to write.  
4) How do you like the idea of former Death Eaters having to pay house elves to work for them? Muahaha. I'm willing to bet that the house elves will insist on all of that pay going to Harry, though, despite the fact that he has – pardon my French – a shitload of money. He is quite literally the richest wizard in Britain.  
5) …Okay, I don't really have a fifth point. I would be interested in hearing opinions on colors for the house elves not belonging to the Houses Potter or Black, though! Harry's bodyguard will of course have Potter colors, but what about Fiona? The Weasley elf? Skip will definitely end up wearing the bright purple color of the Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes company – that IS the color, isn't it? – but what about Kerrilee? The Grangers wouldn't have family colors, and while she can't stay in the towel or pillowcase she's wearing now I can't see such an old elf wearing a maid outfit. I could see her choosing to magic a knit sweater and warm stockings to fit her, actually – that's a thought.  
6) See you next chapter!


	82. Chapter 82

CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO:

After the trials of that day had ended Harry approached Amelia and Madam Longbottom where they stood at the floor of the courtroom; he would have liked to have Kingsley there as well, but he was overseeing the transport of the convicted criminals to Azkaban.

"Hi Amelia; Madam Longbottom," Harry greeted, receiving similar greetings in reply. "I just wanted to say that in the future it would be best if the Death Eater children of Hogwarts age or older were given notice so that they can attend the trials of their parents. It proves to them that their parents received fair trials and were justly convicted, as well as giving me the opportunity to speak with them directly after about the changes in their living circumstances. I was actually going to ask Kingsley about it, but he's already left, so…"

Amelia sighed, passing a hand over her eyes wearily. "Yes, you're right, of course. I'll make sure that any children are invited in the future. Are you alright to deal with Crabbe and Goyle yourself?" Their parents had just been tried and sentenced to Azkaban, and Harry knew that the two young children also practically orphaned this day were already at Black Manor, along with all the Death Eater children under Hogwarts age.

"I'll deal with it, don't worry," Harry nodded, adding another thing to his mental list of things to do. Checking his watch he excused himself, saying that he'd see them the next day for more trials and chuckling at Amelia's weary groan.

"I can still offer you a Dreamless Sleep Potion if you need it," he called back over his shoulder, and to his shock she flipped him the bird, sending him into helpless laughter as he left the courtroom.

Instead of apparating back to Hogwarts Harry headed for Madam Tinkleweather's shop, relieved when he found that she hadn't closed for the day yet. Entering, he found her at the front desk drawing some sketches.

"Ah, Lord Potter-Black!" the woman greeted him pleasantly when she looked up at her customer. "Welcome back! How are the uniforms? Did you get the hat and shoes for Dobby and Winky?"

"The uniforms are great," Harry replied laughingly, "and yes, we got the hat and shoes! The milliner was pretty unpleasant, unfortunately, but Dobby loves his hat so it was worth it."

Madam Tinkleweather frowned slightly. "Unpleasant in what way?"

"Ah, he didn't seem to agree with my political views," Harry brushed off her concern. "It's not really a problem, and I need some more hats, so unless you can recommend another milliner..?"

"I'm afraid not," the woman replied, her concerned frown remaining. "But you said you need more hats? I assume that means you're here for more outfits as well?" She seemed quite happy at the thought, and Harry laughed again.

"As a matter of fact, I am! I have a list here," he pulled the parchment out of his pocket, "of all the house elves I suddenly find in my care. It turns out that I claimed them as well when I declared right of conquest," he grimaced at her, placing the smoothed-out parchment on the desk.

"Oh my," the tailor breathed upon seeing the numbers involved. "Whatever are you going to do with all these house elves?" she looked up at him with wide eyes.

Harry sighed. "Well, some of them I've already found other masters for, as you can see, and I do have an awful lot of properties now that need taking care of, but I was thinking that house elves that would like to cook or take care of children could work for other families, earning money that way but with me as the only person who can give them direct orders. It should protect them, let them work the way they'd like to, and earn them some money, which are all good things in my book." A thought occurred to him and he looked over at the tailor with a grin. "You wouldn't happen to need some help here, would you?"

Madam Tinkleweather laughed delightedly. "I'll have to consider it if you keep giving me so much work, Lord Potter-Black! I hear that you're raising a whole bunch of children..?"

It was Harry's turn to laugh. "Good point – I'll see if any of the elves are interested in making clothing. Isn't that a good trick, a house elf creating clothing when to give it clothing is the traditional way to release one from service?" Both of them grinned at each other, in full accord on this point. "Let's just ask one right now, and then you have some choice in the matter." Plugging his ears and giving the tailor a look suggesting she do the same, he called for the Potter elves, remembering that there had been at least one there that had seemed particularly delighted at the thought of getting a uniform.

"Yes, Master Harry?" all the Potter elves chorused, and Harry unplugged his ears with a long look at the tailor that had her laughing in dismayed understanding.

"Hi all," Harry said, crouching once more to be on their level, his knees protesting. "This is Madam Tinkleweather, the tailor who'll be making the uniforms for you."

"Hello, everyone," the woman greeted, and the fact that she went to her knees beside Harry only made his respect for her grow. "I'm looking for an assistant or two to help me create your outfits, and Lord Potter-Black was so kind to point out that one of you might be interested. Do any of you particularly enjoy sewing, and are interested in creating clothing?" As soon as she said the last word she realized that she had erred, but even so a house elf immediately bounded forward, dragging an identical elf – her twin, Harry knew – by the wrist.

"We is interested!" the elf exclaimed excitedly, big eyes shining. "I is loving to sew, and Mick is always dressing former young Master!"

"That sounds wonderful," Madam Tinkleweather replied good-naturedly, turning to the second elf, who looked somewhat reluctant. "Your sister sounds quite enthusiastic, but you don't look too keen. Would you rather not work with me?"

The house elf bit his lip and gave Harry an uncertain look. "Mick is not wishing to leave Master Harry," he admitted softly, and his sister, Nick, turned on him with an upset expression.

"Master Harry is not making us leave!" the elf protested. "He is letting us work for others, you is hearing him say so earlier!"

"She's right, Mick," Harry said gently, reaching out to the house elf and touching him lightly on the arm. "You'll still be a Potter elf, but here's an opportunity for you to work with clothing if that's what you'd like to do. Madam Tinkleweather would pay you both, and you'd get the opportunity to create clothing for children and house elves, sewing and maybe even designing if you're good at it. If you're not interested you don't have to, mind. It's your choice to make."

"Absolutely," the children's tailor agreed with him. "However, part of your wages would of course go to Lord Potter-Black as your Master, and you'd have to wear a uniform more like mine than the ones Winky and Dobby wear. What do you think?"

Nick appeared all but ready to launch herself at Harry and Madam Tinkleweather for a hug, but restrained herself as she anxiously watched her twin brother consider the first big choice he'd ever had to make.

"You're welcome to quit whenever you want," Madam Tinkleweather pointed out softly, and that seemed to decide the elf.

"Mick would be liking to work for Madam Tinkles," the elf said quietly but resolutely, and the two humans found themselves smiling widely as Nick wrapped her brother in an exuberant hug.

"Alright," Harry said to the two elves with a smile, "That means Madam Tinkleweather is your boss now. Let's give it a trial week and if by the end of the week you're all happy working together we can draw up a contract so that it's all nice and formal. You open shop at 9 AM?" he asked the tailor, and she confirmed that she came to the store at around 8:30 to prepare in the mornings. Turning back to the elves Harry instructed them, "Come here tomorrow morning at a quarter to nine – can you tell time? Yes? Great. So, come here to meet Madam Tinkleweather tomorrow at a quarter to nine, and she'll get you started. Alright?"

The elves nodded promptly, Mick seeming to start catching Nick's enthusiasm, and Harry told the group of elves that they could go again, hurriedly covering his ears before they popped out. Exhaling he stood and offered his companion a hand up that she took but didn't need. "There we go, then – two assistants! I do hope it works out well."

"I think it will," the woman replied with a secret smile. "I do think it will." Shaking her head slightly she walked back behind the desk and picked up the parchment, perusing it another time. "Then that means two Potter elves that will need a different uniform," she said, making a note on the parchment, "and I have a few questions about these other house elves," she pointed at the list of unbonded elves with her quill. "I can find out the Weasley colors easily enough for this one – Jirplump, is it? Why do house elves often have such strange names?" she mused to herself. "But it might be best if you send the other elves and their new masters to me to discuss uniform options. You made a note here that this Radley is to be the younger Potter's bodyguard, and a bellhop costume is hardly appropriate then. No, it truly is best if you send them to me once they're bonded," the tailor informed him with an upward glance at him.

"That sounds good to me," Harry agreed. "I'm sorry to give you so much work at once…"

"Not to worry," Madam Tinkleweather brushed it off, "It's great business, and I haven't quite decided yet whether to give you a discount for commissioning so many or raise the price for the amount of work it is…"

"Raise the price," Harry said promptly. "I can afford it, and you've been a huge help. You can be sure that I'll bring the children to you when they need clothes," he smiled at her, and she smiled right back.

"You're a good sort, you are," she said fondly. "Off you go, then – I have work to do, and I'm fairly certain that you've got more important things to deal with than house elf costumes!"

"Not more important," Harry disagreed, "but yes, there are things I should be doing. Good luck with the two elves tomorrow!" With a wave he left, disapparating from outside the shop and heading up the path to Hogwarts, keeping a weather eye out for possible attackers along the way. After all, there was no point in getting a bodyguard of his own when he was more dangerous on his own and had a couple dozen protective house elves at his beck and call.


	83. Chapter 83

CHAPTER EIGHTY THREE:

Albus had once had an amused respect for Rita Skeeter, but now he wanted nothing more than to squash her like the bug she was. How dare she interrogate him, filling a book with her lies? That they were true statements taken under Veritaserum mattered to him not a bit. Oh, how he wished he could curse her in the back, but with magic-suppressant cuffs around his wrists he couldn't even manage a Lumos as the heavily warded door closed behind her, leaving him chained to a metal chair.

_Oh, Gellert, if you could see me now, _he thought with angry regret. _Instead of freeing you as I was supposed to, giving you a second chance to better this world, I am locked up with my magic suppressed just as you are…_

Closing his eyes, Albus let go of the rage and used his Occlumentic skills to restore peace to his mind. He would bide his time and wait for the right time to strike. If they thought that a Dumbledore would go down without a fight they were dead wrong.

OoOoO

That evening Harry joined Severus for dinner in the Great Hall, and they were discussing Severus's classes when Harry noticed Minerva's strange expression: She was frowning at her plate as though trying to figure out what was on it. Before he could ask what the matter was, though, the doors to the Great Hall opened and a tall wizard strode in, his hair grey and his close beard carefully maintained. Harry realized that Minerva must have felt the man enter Hogwarts - he remembered the strange tingling sensation from his own brief time as Hogwarts Headmaster, but in the future Bill had cast a lot of wards around Hogwarts that not only alerted Harry to the intruder but let him know who it was long before they reached the castle.

Then the man strode up to Gryffindor table, and the glove dangling from his hand made Harry sit up tensely, knowing what was about to happen. When the stranger slapped the younger Harry across the face sharply and declared, "I challenge you to a duel, Lord Potter," Harry was quick to stand.

"I accept." The words rang out decisively as the hall watched with bated breath.

"I challenged the Lord Potter," the stranger said impatiently, turning to the Head Table with a frown.

"And as the senior Lord Potter, all challengers will face me," Harry replied blandly. "We will take this outside."  
Without waiting for a response Harry strode down the Great Hall, hearing Severus's steps not far behind him and the scraping of chairs as the other teachers stood to follow. When Harry passed the man he gave him a level look that clearly told the man he expected him to accompany him, and the stranger ground his teeth but turned on his heel. To Harry's relief the man fell in step beside him instead of falling behind, where he wouldn't have been able to see him – he trusted Severus with his back, but he preferred to see his opponent. That this way they might look like equals was not lost on him, but Harry intended to change that – and soon.

As they spilled out onto the green the teachers slowed, limiting the students following behind them to the front steps and some of the grass before it. Harry and the stranger meanwhile walked until a good distance was put between them and the onlookers (though Harry felt that the man had intended to duel in the Great Hall, he was not so keen on seeing any students injured), then moved apart to stand facing each other.

"First blood," Harry said, no question in his voice – for as the challenged it was his right to specify what shape the duel would take. His opponent simply nodded tightly, and Harry turned his head towards the castle without taking his eyes off the man. "Filius, would you referee? It's a duel to first blood." His voice carried easily to the watching group, and a moment later the Charms Master stepped forward.

"To first blood," the part-goblin said clearly. "You may begin."

As soon as the words had left the professor's mouth Harry was sprinting towards his challenger, knowing with piercing clarity one thing: He had to make this as obvious a win as possible, or he would have more challengers than he cared for. A burst of magic left his wand at the same time as he took his first sprinted step forward, and the wind spell pushed his opponent back and off balance, forcing him to take more than one step back before he was able to right himself and raise his wand – but by then Harry was already right in front of him, a spell first disarming the man, then nicking his cheek with a light cutting spell. That move was not allowed on the dueling circuit, Harry knew, due to the precision needed to avoid taking out the opponent's eye, but using it here would put him in good stead with anyone who knew that fact.

"First blood!" Filius declared as Harry followed up by placing his wand at the man's neck, pointing squarely at his Adam's apple.

"Do you concede defeat?" Harry asked lowly, knowing that the audience wouldn't hear it but also knowing the effect of a more dangerous tone on a defeated opponent. The man's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

"I do," he said, and his face was pale.

Harry stepped back wordlessly, lowering his wand and summoning the stranger's wand to his hand. "What is your name, challenger?" he asked somewhat belatedly, and the man's eye twitched at the revelation that his opponent hadn't even known who he was.

"Lord Jecht," he answered in clipped tones, extending his hand. "My wand."

Harry raised his eyebrows slightly at the disrespect, deciding that this man needed to be put in his place. "It is only because you could not hope to match me that I am not going to demand compensation as the winner of this duel," he said mildly, and the Lord paled dramatically, knowing that as the challenged one Harry could have demanded everything the man owned. Pureblood customs were strange that way. "Challenge me a second time and I will not be so lenient." Handing the man his wand he spun and walked away, knowing that to turn his back was the greatest insult he could offer – which was precisely why he did it. The man couldn't hope to defeat him, and they both knew it.

"That was far too easy," Severus said later in their quarters, his blank face hiding his worry. "You were right to deal with Jecht as quickly as possible, but I fear that there may be further attempts on your life, both covert and overt."

"I know," Harry sighed, dropping into an armchair. "If we're lucky the next attempt will be another open challenge, made by someone who'll be able to put up a bit of a fight..."

Severus nodded, but the worry didn't leave him. Personally he doubted that anyone would openly challenge Harry after this, and he knew that the next logical step would be assassins – or attacks on Harry's loved ones.


	84. Chapter 84 and summary

CHAPTER EIGHTY FOUR:

Driven by the renewed proof that Harry would need a bodyguard, the time traveler had Radley pop him up to Gryffindor Tower instead of walking, once again giving the Fat Lady the Parseltongue command to open. Entering Gryffindor Tower with a house elf was new to him, but then again so many things were that Harry didn't take much notice of the stares when he walked in.

"Well, well, if it isn't Lord Potter!" a Weasley twin exclaimed, sidling up to Harry and draping an arm over the shorter male's shoulders.

"Vanquisher of Voldemort!" the other exclaimed, coming up on Harry's other side and giving him the same treatment.

"Defeater of duelists!" the one on his right said, striking a mighty pose.

"Jeerer of Jechts!" the left twin said, striking a similar pose.

"I'm not sure that word exists, Gred," Harry said with a grin, and both twins scoffed indignantly.

"It doesn't exist, he says!" "He criticizes our formidable wonderlicious vocabulatory!" "Our expansivosibly scrumtiolicious lexicatory!" "Our hrumbanglable oratorilious pontificatorialiyly!"

By now Harry was laughing sufficiently that the twins exchanged a look before smirking and leaning in over Harry head to mutter to each other, "He jirmungle jerbandanglously pompeturnalurg hrmpfling," "Too true, dear Forge, he hrmpfling-"

"Enough!" Harry interrupted them with a peal of laughter, wriggling out from under their arms. "I'm here on serious business, you ridiculoispling hrunfdingers!"

The twins looked at him with comically shocked expressions before whooping indecorously, pounding on each other's backs and pointing at the young man impotently as Harry just grinned at them and gestured for his house elf companion to follow him as he turned and walked over to where the Golden Trio sat with Neville.

"Hey there," Harry grinned, sliding onto the bench next to Neville and bumping him lightly with his shoulder. "I heard some very high praise concerning you from Severus," he said with a huge grin that only widened at Neville's blush. "Unfortunately, that's not what I came to discuss, though," he said, tamping down his mirth to give his younger self a more serious look. "We discussed this, and I'd like to introduce you to Radley," he said, gesturing at the elf that was hiding his nervousness at being the center of attention admirably. "Radley agreed to being your bodyguard, and while he obviously can't protect you from challengers like today's, he'll do his best to keep you safe from less obvious dangers."

The younger Harry nodded earnestly before turning his attention to Radley. "It's great to meet you, Radley. You're sure you won't have any issues against wizards? I know that Dobby can throw a grown wizard down the hall, but I don't want to see you hurt." The house elf seemed surprised at Harry's obvious concern but nodded.

"Radley is happy to protect Master Jarry," the elf replied in his unusually deep voice. A heavy silence fell, then Hermione let out a peal of laughter and Harry turned an accusing gaze on his older self.

"Jarry?" he asked pointedly, and Harry grinned and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you gave me that terrible nickname – Hames – so I figured you could use one as well," he said reasonably, ruining the effect with his mischievous grin. "And since most of our house elves answer to me over you, I'm Master Harry and you can be Master Jarry, since we don't need them getting confused. No?" he asked teasingly, and Harry groaned.

"Can't we just both be Harry?" he asked plaintively, and his older self shook his head, still with the same grin.

"Hey, you're the one who called me 'Hames' because it was too confusing having the same name," he pointed out, and Harry groaned again, dropping his head to the table.

"Why can't my life be normal?" he moaned.

"But life would be so boring then," Harry cajoled, but the others could see from his expression that he agreed with his younger self on that count. "At any rate," he said, bringing the conversation back to the original topic, "you need to bond with Radley and visit a tailor I know to get him dressed in a proper uniform. She came up with the designs for Dobby and Winky – I'm not sure if you've seen them lately? – but Radley will need a different design, since he's a bodyguard and _your_ bodyguard. Both of you can discuss it with Madam Tinkleweather in detail, and find an outfit you both are happy with," he nodded at Radley, who looked surprised that he would have a say in his uniform but nodded back. "But first – the bond. Come on," he said, slipping off the bench and pleased when both Hermione and Ron moved so that the younger Harry could leave his side of the table and join him in front of the house elf.

Both of them crouched down, to the collective shock of Gryffindor Tower – who they hadn't realized were paying such close attention – and Harry guided his younger self through the relatively simple process of bonding with a house elf. After some discussion Radley agreed to accept a payment of three galleons a week, since Harry argued that he'd have no free days and have to be constantly alert, not to mention the danger he might end up being in, and both Radley and Harry agreed to visit the tailor the next day to see about a proper outfit. Standing again, Hames said one last thing to the elf before he popped away to watch over the young Lord Potter unseen.

"As I said to the other elves, you're always welcome to come to me if you need anything, or if there are any problems with your Master. Obviously, I don't anticipate there to be any issues," he smiled, "but even so, please keep it in mind." The elf bowed in response and popped away.

Sweeping his gaze over the gathered Gryffindors, Harry addressed them all with his next statement. "You all saw what happened, and you all know that now Harry is protected. Please spread the word that Harry has a bodyguard – but I'd prefer if it remained secret for now that his bodyguard is a house elf. I have full confidence in Radley's abilities, but the element of surprise is always one worth having." His eyes rested especially on Lavender Brown and a pair of seventh-year students that he knew loved to gossip. "Alright?"

A ragged chorus of agreement came back, and Harry's lips twitched at the exaggerated salute the Weasley twins gave him. Deciding that he might as well do this in this semi-public setting he beckoned them over. "There's someone I'd like you to meet," he said, trying not to smile as he went back down on one knee. "Skip?" Beside him Harry's eyebrows rose, clearly recognizing the elf he'd tried to call earlier that day. With a pop the small elf appeared, bouncing happily at being called.

"You is calling, Master Harry?" she piped up, then abruptly became aware of the many gazes resting on her. With a little squeak of fear she launched herself at Harry, trying to hide in his robes even while she looked around with wide, apprehensive eyes.

"It's alright, Skip," Harry tried to reassure her, bringing his arms up to hold the small body comfortingly. "I wanted to introduce you to the Weasley twins. Fred, George, if you would introduce yourselves?" The look he gave them strongly suggested they join him on Skip's eye level and they promptly sat down on the floor.

"Hey Skip," one of the twins said, equal parts curious and friendly. "I'm Fred."

"I'm George," the other one said, leaning forward with a friendly smile to hold out his hand. "It's good to meet you."

After several moments' hesitation the little elf reached out a dainty hand to hold the wizard's. "I is Skip, Master George." The boy's eyes widened and flicked to Harry's as he realized what the young Lord was planning. Harry simply nodded, and George turned his attention back to the young house elf.

"Could it be that you're looking for a family, too?" As soon as George voiced the question Harry realized just how much the twins trusted him – there was no question of whether Skip would even fit to them, no doubt that they might not need a house elf, no denial that they couldn't accept such a gift – for that was what this could be considered. Skip merely bit her lip and nodded, unsure that she would be wanted until Master George smiled warmly at her. "Mum always says that Fred and I are a handful," he said, giving his twin a grin, "but we just like having fun. Do you think you might want to join us?"

Skip was gnawing at her lower lip, but her eyes lit up. "Master Harry is saying that yous is making tricks and a joke shop, and that yous will be needing help," she said, leaning her head sideways against Harry's chest but feeling her hand warm in Master George's. "Master Harry is telling Skip that Skip could be helping yous."

"We'd be happy to have you, Skip," Fred said, while George gave Harry an awed and grateful look. "I'm sure we can have a lot of fun together." With a grin he held out his left hand to the elf, and Harry gently turned her so that she could give Fred her free hand, and couldn't help but smile at the sight of the small elf with her arms crossed, either hand in the far larger ones of the redheads.

"I, Fred or George Weasley, take the house elf Skip into my care," Harry prompted them softly, and the twins simultaneously bonded with Skip, the flash of light that enveloped them twice as bright as normal since it was a double bonding. Looking down at Skip, Harry impulsively kissed her on the top of her head. "As I told you," he said quietly, "you can still come to me for anything, but I think you'll get along wonderfully with the twins. Why don't you three go get to know each other?" he suggested more loudly, and the twins gave Skip's hands one last squeeze before releasing her and standing with strange expressions on their faces. Then Fred reached forward and swept Skip up and onto his back like he used to with Ginny, grinning over at his brother.

"Harry, mate," George said, pulling Harry up from the floor and giving him a hard hug, clearly overwhelmed.

"Just treat her well," was all Harry asked in return, and George squeezed him tighter in acknowledgement.

"Of course, Harry," he said, pulling away. "Skip's family, now."

Harry smiled and exchanged a long look with Fred before the twins smiled as well and left to get to know their new companion. Turning, Harry met Hermione's eyes, and she must have read his intent there because she held her hands up weakly. "Harry..."

"Kerrilee," Harry called calmly, and the old elf appeared before him, her eyes focused on Hermione's face.

"Miss Granger," she said, giving the girl a one-over. "I was informed that you needed some further education." Ron, who had begun to look upset that everyone but he was getting a house elf, suddenly grimaced and scooched away from Hermione, who was simply gaping at the house elf. "Do shut your mouth, child, it's rather unbecoming," the house elf raised an eyebrow, and Harry stifled a giggle as he thought she sounded like a cross between Severus and Minerva. And Augusta Longbottom. Maybe that was why Neville looked wary of the house elf.

"Hermione," he said, getting himself under control again, "May I introduce Madam Kerrilee? I thought you might like to hear from her about house elves, their culture and history. Maybe you could write a book together; I don't think there's much literature on house elves out there," he said, knowing perfectly well that Hermione had complained plenty of times about the lack of information on house elves. "Madam Kerrilee declared herself willing to bond with you, but warned me that she was, and I quote," his lips quirked but he tried not to let the smile show, "'much too old to do more than tidy up a little'."

"I believe I said I am 'too old to do much more than tidy up a little', young man," the elf said drily as she looked up at him. "A lady would never say that she is 'much too old'," she sniffed.

"She sounds just like my Gran..." Neville whispered, and Hermione shot him a surprised look. Harry, knowing her expressions better than most, recognized the moment the thought crossed her mind that interacting with Kerrilee might be good practice for meeting the Dowager Longbottom, and Hermione turned back to the house elf with a politely resolute expression.

"I'm afraid there is no House of Granger, but I would be honored to learn from you, Madam," she said firmly, and the house elf scrutinized her for another minute before nodding sharply.

"Come here then, Miss Granger," the aged elf held out her hand demandingly, and Hermione promptly slid from the seat into a kneeling position on the floor, accepting the frail hand.

"I, Hermione Jean Granger, take the house elf Kerrilee into my care," Hermione said, holding Kerrilee's gaze as she recited the required words. Once more the flash of a completed bond appeared, and when Hermione released the elf's hand they both bowed slightly to each other.

"We will go to see Madam Tinkleweather when Mister Potter and bodyguard Radley go tomorrow," the house elf informed Hermione, and the girl nodded.

"I'll have to arrange it with Professor McGonagall," the student agreed, and wondered why Kerrilee quirked an eyebrow and smirked slightly. Harry seemed to be stifling laughter, too. "I'm not sure how to pay you, though – I don't have access to any money, and I'm afraid you'll have a lot of time off while I'm in class..."

"There is no need for payment," the house elf sniffed. "The younger elves can perhaps use the money in the future, but I am not so long for this world that I would need wizarding money. It is compensation enough if you write a proper book about our history and culture and have it published. We are hardly the mindless slaves most wizards consider us to be, but while your intentions behind The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare were good, your methods were sub par."

Hermione blushed bright red, mortified to be rebuked so publicly by the very type of person she had been trying to save, and the elf took pity on her.

"I would not have agreed to bond with anyone else, Miss Granger," she said more softly. "I was impressed by your tenacity, and alone the fact that all house elves in Britain know your name is worth commending. Let us work on ensuring that in the future your name isn't spoken in terror, but in awe."

Hermione looked horrified that the house elves would speak of her in terror when she had only tried to have their best interests at heart, but swallowed hard and nodded. "Thank you, Madam," she said in a less than steady voice. Kerrilee held her gaze for a few seconds longer, then nodded. "I will see you tomorrow evening, Miss Granger." Then she popped away without waiting for a response, leaving Hermione kneeling with a dazed expression.

Harry bit the inside of his lip to keep from smiling as he crouched down before her. He wouldn't have put it quite as bluntly as Kerrilee had, but it was true that all house elves he had ever known bar Dobby were terrified of Hermione Granger, who tried to trick them into dying by hiding knitted hats around the Gryffindor common room. Oh, they wouldn't have died simply by picking up a piece of clothing, of course – only their Master could release them from service – but the thought behind it was all too clear: Hermione Granger wanted their bonds broken. And that meant death.

"Sorry, Hermione," he apologized, carefully keeping all traces of laughter from his voice. "I thought she'd have a lot to teach you, but she's a little blunter than I had anticipated."

Hermione blinked at him dazedly, then shook her head as if to clear it. "No, Harry, it's great! It's impossible to find any proper literature on house elves, so it's amazing to have such a great source – and hey, if I survived five years of Professor Snape under spells, then I can survive a house elf," she managed a teasing smile, and Harry let out the laugh he'd been holding in.

"Poor Severus. I'll have to tell him that you consider him on the same level as a house elf," he grinned, and that got a proper chuckle from Hermione as the color slowly faded from her cheeks. Then he leaned in close so that only she could hear what he whispered in her ear. "You'll have to make sure to tell her to tone it down around Neville, though – he's very intimidated by his gran, and I'm sure you don't want him afraid to spend time with you because of your house elf," he winked, and her blush returned, though there was concern in her face as well.

"Thanks, Harry," she said, giving him a hug before standing and taking a seat next to Neville instead of sitting across from him as she had been before. Harry raised his eyes to look at Ron and the boy immediately put his hands up as if to say 'Please, mate, I'm good without a house elf!'. Harry just shook his head and they traded an understanding grin.

A/N: Extra-long author's note to tide you over for the weekend! Tomorrow's my Birthday and so I won't be posting :)))  
I've actually been meaning to post this for a while now, but teedub just reminded me of it by mentioning that she's not entirely sure what date we're at. Here are my personal notes, and as such are rather brief, but should clear up what's been happening! Please ignore the little day/date mishap at the beginning – that was before I realized this would actually be a long story and started keeping track of the days!

Arrival Friday 23rd February 1996  
24, 25 Feb - Sleep till Sunday morning  
26 Feb - Meeting Dumbledore Sunday, hire Dobby, Severus Legilimency, Order meeting, killing Kreacher and first Horcrux, hire Winky  
27 Feb - Monday destroy Ravenclaw's diadem, run into Minerva, meet Golden Trio  
28 Feb - Tuesday 'remedial Potions', destroy Hufflepuff's cup  
1 Mar - Wednesday make travel plans with Severus, destroy ring - DUMBLEDORE CURSED!  
2 Mar - Thursday destroy scar Horcrux, Severus heal both Harrys, Legilimency session  
3 Mar - Friday start Harry/Severus, miss class, second 'remedial Potions'  
Second THURSDAY (ooooops) learn about Severus's rape, Order meeting (planning missions)  
Second Friday (FIX THIS) Death Eater meeting, Order meeting  
4 Mar - Discussion with Golden Trio on Saturday, Dumbledore questioning, first mission  
5 Mar - Sunday Hermione talk with Severus, letter to Sirius, second mission  
6 Mar - Monday Potions lesson, brief conversation with Hermione (Severus), another Order meeting (Dumbledore leaving the Order after being judged an unfit leader), Neville Hermione conversation, PERCY reconciliation in a month!, Filius Flitwick join Order  
Nightmares during the next few nights  
10 Mar - Friday Voldemort dead, Amelia  
11 Mar - Saturday Gringotts vaults, Amelia office, reporters  
12 Mar - Sunday, clean up in DMLE and arrest of Inner Circle Death Eaters  
13 Mar - Monday morning - newspapers! Wizengamot session in afternoon; Narcissa and Sirius conversations, Minerva announcement at dinner; house elves stop drugging meals, Dumbledore planning something  
14 Mar - Tuesday newspaper article, house elf uniforms, visit from Daphne  
15 Mar - Wednesday first four DE trials, Hermione ruling out Ron as a boyfriend  
16 Mar - Thursday start of Hermione/Neville!, Colin North Tower, Luna and Severus tea  
17 Mar - Friday Malfoys - Blacks, Peter Oakley and Black elves  
18 Mar - Saturday breakfast in Great Hall, rumors of Harry/Peter, Dumbledore trial! Minerva and Severus scotch, Blaise and Dean, Harry emancipation and Dursleys, Severus talk with Draco, introspection Sirius, show Harry, Remus and Sirius Dumbledore's trial in pensieve  
19 Mar - Sunday Daily Prophet reveals details of Dumbledore's trial including full transcript (excluding any mention of Harry's abuse), apologies by Minerva and Severus, Sirius and Remus prepare for trial, Gryffindors discuss Harry and Snape, Fudge rant, Harry attacked on the way to the trial, Harry confront Minerva about wards, potential Sirius/Amelia, Golden Trio and Neville visit Harry and Severus, Severus bottoms!, vanished Dark Mark and burning Snake Face.  
20 Mar - Monday Potions class, house elves and outfits, Goyle and Crabbe trials, Dumbledore angry, Lord Jecht duel, Radley, Skip and Kerrilee get bonded.

…And that's where we are right now! It hasn't been long since Harry came from the future, huh? Even counting the double Thursday and Friday I accidentally have in the beginning. (Oops.) Hope that clears things up a bit!


	85. Chapter 85

CHAPTER EIGHTY FIVE:

Harry passed a hand over his face. "Anything else you know about the man?" he asked his lover wearily. So far Severus had only been able to tell him that Lord Jecht, whom Harry had dueled earlier that day, had never been a Death Eater but had certainly been closely aligned to the Dark Lord, as well as being quite firmly in the pocket of the late Lord Malfoy.

"I am afraid not," Severus denied with a level gaze. "Perhaps you should approach Narcissa for more information; as the previous Lady Malfoy she is sure to know far more about Lord Jecht than I."

Harry let his head roll back against the backrest of the couch. "Yeah," he agreed listlessly. "I should also let her know that I told Crabbe and Goyle about their new living arrangements." That had been a thankfully simple conversation: He had basically just told them that their parents were in Azkaban and that they would be spending the next summer at Black Manor, and they had accepted it with identical grunts of acknowledgement. They had never been the brightest tools in the shed.

"Well," Harry exhaled and stood, "I'll be back as soon as I can." With that he walked away, the concerned gaze of his lover resting on his weary form.

OoOoO

The next day Harry was unsurprised to notice Lord Jecht studiously avoiding Harry's gaze when they both took their places in the seats of the Wizengamot; Narcissa had indeed had a wealth of information on the aging Lord, and Harry knew that if the man tried to oppose him in any way again he could crush him politically as well as magically. Or simply blackmail the man; he had plenty of skeletons in his closet.

She had also been able to shed a bit of light on why he might have decided to challenge the younger Harry to a duel; he had most likely been positive that he could defeat the young student and that way start to chip away at the reputation both Potters currently enjoyed, as well as gathering the remaining Dark faction around him. It would have been a sound political move had he not forgotten that Harry would obviously accept all duel challenges in his younger self's stead, as well as the fact that attacking a child was pretty despicable.

That aside, Harry was rather relieved at the swift routine of the day's trials; he hadn't realized how much dealing with energetic house elves the previous day had tired him until he had woken up in the morning still groggy from a thorough night's sleep. He thought being able to share his good and bad memories with Severus was helping, despite it really being too early to tell, but the best way to avoid nightmares still seemed to be to go to bed thoroughly exhausted. His drooping eyelids told him that it wasn't necessarily the wisest thing to do, though.

_I really want that vacation,_ Harry thought as the next Death Eater was led into the room. _I'm not sure how much longer I can keep on this way._ There was just too much happening, too fast, and Harry was aware that he was spreading himself too thin. But his honor didn't allow him to skip out on the Death Eater trials, despite having complete trust in Amelia, Kingsley and Madam Longbottom to conduct them fairly. He'd said that he would sit in on every single trial, and once he'd given his word on something he wasn't one to break it.

_I wonder if Harry's come up with anything he wants to do to the Dursleys,_ he thought idly as he remembered giving his word to Aunt Petunia that he wouldn't bother them. Stifling a yawn, he tried to concentrate on the happenings in court but ended up wondering how Amelia managed to look so calm and competent when she was probably getting less sleep than he. It never occurred to him that to others, he appeared just as competent despite his obvious fatigue; he was simply too used to keeping up a public front to let his bone-deep weariness show.

_I really need that vacation…_

OoOoO

"Lord Potter-Black," Amelia addressed him formally when everyone was leaving at the end of the last trial of the day. "You will not come to the Ministry tomorrow. You will spend the day at Hogwarts and rest. Is that understood?" It was an order, Minister to Lord, and Harry couldn't help but blink at her.

Then her words sank in and he actually slumped slightly in relief, for once letting his weariness show in a semi-public setting. "Are you sure?" he asked, and for the life of him he couldn't keep the hopeful note out of his voice. "I promised that I would attend every single Death Eater trial…"

"There's no point in attending them when you're all but dead on your feet," Amelia retorted, keeping her worry for the young man firmly hidden. She'd thought he looked tired during the trials, but her order to rest had seemed to take the last bit of energy out of him, making him relax from the straight-backed posture he'd managed to maintain throughout the day.

Harry huffed a laugh in response. "True," he conceded. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm surviving," she deadpanned, and he laughed.

"Aren't we all!" Then he straightened again, a grateful expression on his face as he laid a hand on her arm. "Thanks, Amelia. I didn't want to miss the trials, but I know that I need a break…"

She nodded in understanding. "Things won't collapse in your absence," she assured him drily. "Go home. Greet Severus Snape from me; I hear from Susan that his classes are amazing now that he's not affected by Dumbledore's machinations anymore." Her gaze was somewhat shrewd – she knew that Snape had been free of the spells for a short time before his sudden change in teaching habits – but she seemed honestly pleased that her niece was enjoying her lessons.

"Will do," Harry grinned lopsidedly as he gave her a small salute. "See you the day after tomorrow, then. Make sure you find some time to rest, too." A snort was his only reply, and Harry headed back to Hogwarts with a profound sense of relief that tomorrow would be a relaxed, restful day spent doing nothing at all. Maybe he'd even get to have that cup of hot chocolate with Luna. That would be wonderful.

A/N: Sorry for the extended silence! Things have been really busy this past week, with work, Birthdays, and another fanfiction I suddenly got involved in occupying all my time. Just now I threw this chapter together in an hour; I do know how the story continues, but simply haven't made the time to write it down of late. I already have a bit of the next chapter pre-written, but if I think it'll be a while before I write more I might not post that tomorrow, since it'll launch us right back into full-on action. It'll be a thrill! So, sorry again for the week of absence, and I can't promise daily updates at this point in time but I do hope to return to that schedule eventually! Hang in there.  
ALSO! Special thanks to all the new and continued followers; I hit over 600 just the other day, and while a part of me can't believe so many people like my story, I'm mostly just incredibly touched. Each review gives me a special warm fuzzy feeling, so thank you all so, so much. You're the best.


	86. Chapter 86

CHAPTER EIGHTY SIX:

To Harry's delight, the next day was sunny and surprisingly warm for the middle of March, and he spent some time relaxing outside in the fresh air, with only the wind and the Kraken for company. When he heard the nearest class end for lunch he picked himself up off the grass with a smile, heading for the castle to join Severus and the students for lunch. Maybe he'd sit with some of his friends instead of at the Head Table and reminisce a bit.

"Harry!" more than one voice called, and Harry waved happily at the friends who had just stepped out of the castle. "Come join us for lunch!"

"Coming," Harry laughed, feeling for a short moment like he had no cares in the world. Then, just as quickly, his cares were back: For there was a man approaching the castle, and since he didn't have a glove in hand Harry couldn't know whether he was actually there on valid business or looking for a fight.

"Good day," the stranger called out as he approached. "Could you inform me of the Headmistress's whereabouts? I need to speak with her student, Miss Lovegood."

"We just had Transfiguration with her," Luna replied dreamily, regarding this man with her permanently bug-eyed expression. "Is Daddy alright?"

"You are Luna Lovegood?" the stranger asked, and Luna hummed as she nodded. The man took another step forward, too close for Harry's comfort, but perhaps he was just being paranoid – and suddenly the man's wand was in his hand, a curse arching its way towards the students faster than they could react, Harry's Protego a moment too late and he watched in horror as the curse ripped open Luna's chest, sending her crashing into the students behind her while blood arched, splattering the grass before her as she fell.

"SEVERUS," Harry roared as he propelled himself forward, his last half-way rational thought that Severus would take care of Luna before mindless rage gripped him at the attacker's calculating expression.

Flick, flick, Harry deflected two quick spells before breaking the man's wand hand with a well-placed Bonebreaker curse, grinning mirthlessly at the crunch of bones and the man's strangled cry before punching the man in the face, blood arching from a broken nose and spattering Harry's cheek. Letting his motion carry him forward Harry drove against the man's chest and followed his falling motion, landing on the muscled stomach and driving the air from the attacker's lungs.

Gripping and squeezing the dazed man's throat, Harry snarled, "Give me one reason not to kill you."

"She's stable!" Severus's voice rang out over the green, and Harry's fingers twitched around warm skin. Those words, and only those, were enough to still his hand, and by the look in his eyes the defenseless man under him knew it.

"Another attempt, by you or anyone else, will be met with death," he spat, and punched the man into unconsciousness, adding a stunner for good measure as he stood. For a moment he stood before his fallen adversary, body trembling with adrenaline and the blood pounding in his ears. Then Harry turned and sprinted back to where students were gathered around Luna's crumpled body, either hovering around her in worry or staring at him in shock.

"Call the Aurors," Harry ordered his younger self curtly, and the teenager merely nodded grimly before dashing off to find a teacher. "How is she?" Harry asked, his voice tense with worry as he dropped to his knees beside Severus. Raising his wand, he sent a quick Patronus to Poppy even though he was reasonably sure that Severus had done the same. "How did you even get here so quickly?" he asked with a slight frown as he watched Severus keep Luna stabilized awaiting Poppy's arrival. "I yelled for you, but I wasn't sure you were even close by."

"I happened to be just inside the castle," Severus replied tersely, "and rushed out as soon as I heard you cast a Protego. You got the attacker?"

"Of course," Harry said tightly, all his concentration focused on his injured friend. "He'd be dead if you hadn't called that she's stable. It's the only thing that saved his life. She _is _stable, right?" he questioned, not because he questioned Severus's abilities but because he didn't think he could stand to see her die in such a way again.

"She is," was all Severus said, but the quick look he gave Harry reassured his lover that Severus understood the reason behind the question and meant the answer. Then Poppy hurried out of the castle and didn't miss a beat before casting several preliminary spells and whisking the young girl off to the Hospital Wing, telling everyone but Harry and Severus to get themselves off to lunch in her usual manner. The two men trailed after her and settled in the Infirmary, Harry to watch over his friend and Severus to watch over his lover.

"So much for having a restful day," Harry muttered as he entered the all-too familiar white room, and Severus sighed in agreement.

OoOoO

By the time Luna awoke a small group had gathered around her bed, talking in hushed whispers. Severus had needed to go teach his classes, but the younger Harry and his friends had a free period and chose to spend it in the Hospital Wing. Hermione was working on a Potions essay with Neville, Harry was trying to memorize some spells without casting them, and Ron was reading a book on Occlumency; Harry just stared unseeingly at Luna, not thinking about anything.

Then Luna stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering, and Harry's eyes came back into focus as he leaned forward with a worried look. She shouldn't be in any pain, since Poppy healed her with her considerable skill and knowledge, but Harry couldn't help but worry. The last person he had seen with such a gash in her chest had been Hermione, bleeding to death on a battlefield.

Luna sighed and opened her eyes, unerringly meeting Harry's gaze.

"There are a lot of Plimplams around you again," were her first absent words, and Harry huffed a mirthless laugh.

"Yeah," he agreed, reaching out to take her hand. "They always come when my friends are hurt…"

Luna's smile was small, but radiant in its purity. "Then I'm glad to see them, but I'm really alright. They can leave now." She gave his hand a little squeeze, and Harry managed a smile for her.

"I'll see what I can do about that," he agreed. "Can I get you anything? Lunch maybe?"

"I'm not hungry," Luna declined vaguely, letting her gaze wander over to the other people in the room. "Professor Snape is teaching class?"

"Yeah, he'd be here otherwise," Harry said with a fond note in his voice, and Luna nodded as though she had expected that. "You can call him Severus, though, you know?"

Luna looked back at him. "That's for Professor Snape to offer, isn't it," she said mildly, and Harry hummed with a slight smile.

"Indeed," a deep voice said, "but Harry is correct. You are welcome to call me by my given name." They all looked over to see Severus approaching, coming to a stop next to Harry's seat and resting a hand on his lover's shoulder.

"Thank you, Severus," Luna said easily with a soft smile, and Harry saw Hermione's slightly offended look that the younger girl had found the name so easy to say. "You'll call me Luna, of course," she stated, changing topic before anyone could react to that. "Thank you for bringing the Kimdingers; Harry's Plimplams are nearly all gone now."

"Ah?" Severus raised an eyebrow at his lover, who gave him a complicated smile. "Indeed. It is fortunate that I came, then." Harry smiled and raised his right hand to lay it over Severus's hand on his shoulder, his left hand still in Luna's. Fondly he thought that the Plimplams had no chance against those two.

A/N: Hellooooo! Oh, I've missed this. Writing this story, and you guys. I do love these characters and this story so much, as well as posting and hearing back from my lovely reviewers. Sorry for the long silence! (Even if it's only been two weeks or so… Feels like months!) I won't be back to my daily posting schedule just yet (busy busy busy!), but I definitely don't plan on abandoning this story, so you can look forward to irregular updates! It's good to be back.


	87. Chapter 87

CHAPTER EIGHTY SEVEN:

Harry strode through the castle with Severus at his side, resolutely ignoring the stares and looks he got from the students they passed. Wary, apprehensive, frightened, intrigued, calculating, adoring – he'd had it all before. He could tell that Severus was disconcerted by it, though.

Finally they reached their destination, and Harry entered without knocking.

"Warding. Now." he said curtly, and Minerva's surprised look at the intrusion turned to pained determination.

"The warding team will be here within the hour," she replied firmly, and saw that despite his obvious anger Harry appreciated her quick action now that it was quite clear that anyone could enter with intent to harm a student.

"Gringotts?" Harry checked, and Minerva nodded.

"William Weasley promised his immediate support." As well he should, considering he had four younger siblings at Hogwarts, all of which were close to Harry and thus targets.

"Does Hogwarts need to be empty for the warding?" Severus checked, and Minerva shook her head.

"I was informed that though it is preferable if no magic is cast during the warding, it will not be an issue to have the students remain. Most of the wards will be laid over the entire school grounds, including the Forbidden Forest, so some small interference from the castle will apparently not be an issue."

"Good," Harry said resolutely. "What wards are being laid?"

"Mostly intent wards preventing people – and creatures – with ill intentions from entering the school grounds, but also some defensive wards, new Muggle-repellant wards, identifying wards so that I will be notified immediately when someone other than a teacher or student enters the grounds – I regret to point out that that set of wards will notify me of your comings and goings," she pointed out to Harry, but he waved it away.

"I don't care; monitor my exact whereabouts in the castle for all I care," he said impatiently. "What about creature and being wards? There should be an anti-Dementor ward, and one keeping transformed werewolves out; nothing against vampires, since they won't get past the intent wards if they mean to harm anyone, but maybe also one against Dragons, Basilisks, et cetera…" At her slightly doubtful look he raised his eyebrows. "I will point out that all of those have been on the school grounds before, and all but the vampire tried to kill me at one point or another."

Minerva blinked. "…When was a vampire on school grounds?"

Harry snorted. "He hasn't been yet, but in my sixth year Horace Slughorn invited one to a Slug Club party," he said drily. "Sanguini, his name was. Looked rather hungrily at some of the girls around, but seemed nice enough otherwise."

"I… see," Minerva said slowly, sounding mostly resigned to Slughorn's character. "I will raise your points to the warders."

"Good," Harry nodded. "These are going up over the Forbidden Forest as well?" Minerva nodded. "You might also want to hire a team of creature hunters to go through the forest and deal with some of the more dangerous creatures in there. There's a whole nest of Acromantula that leave humans alone unless they wander into their area, and a number of centaurs that mostly like to be left alone but might be grateful for the help in getting the forest under control. Right now they have to act as the guardians of the forest, and while they take great pride in that role, there are some things in the forest that can't be taken care of without magic, and they have none. So the human team would have to be able to respect the centaurs and not go after the Acromantula, but the things they kill could probably be sold with a part of the profits going to Hogwarts."

"An excellent suggestion," Minerva said as she jotted down notes. "I will look into it as soon as the warding is done; the safety of the students is of vital importance." Harry and Severus both nodded sharply, and Minerva exchanged a decisive look with each of them.

Standing, she gestured for them to precede her. "Come, let us head down; I must make an announcement to the students before the warders arrive…"

OoOoO

Watching the warding was interesting; an opinion most of the students seemed to share with Harry, since faces could be seen from nearly every window and tower Hogwarts boasted. It was also good to see Bill again, and Harry beamed when Severus and Bill greeted each other by their first names.

Harry also had a quiet word with Bill about rewarding Grimmauld Place, since he wanted to take down the Fidelius Dumbledore had placed. He didn't think he'd be replacing it, but that would really be up to Sirius. He made a mental note to point out to Sirius that he really could choose another place to live in now that he was a free man and seeing a mind healer daily – Harry had been happy for that bit of news, and surprised when Kingsley had added that it seemed Sirius and Amelia had been engaged for marriage before the Black's incarceration. He couldn't see the two together, but Kingsley had said that it seemed the two of them were interested in seeing if there was still something there. Apparently Sirius had invited Amelia over to Grimmauld Place for dinner as soon as he'd had his first visit to the mind healer, and Amelia had somehow made space in her schedule to attend that dinner. How Kingsley knew all the details of the dinner was beyond Harry, but it had certainly made for interesting conversation. Not gossip, no – men like Kingsley didn't gossip. They conversed.

Deciding that it was something best dealt with right away, Harry called Dobby for a piece of parchment and a pen – no way he was using a quill if he had a choice – and penned a quick note to Sirius saying that he'd just realized that the man really didn't have to hide anymore and that as Lord Black was free to choose any Black property he wanted to. Asking Dobby to bring the note to Sirius, he also asked his house elf to have a private word with Winky that she should make sure any property Sirius chose was perfectly safe and clean. All the properties should be, considering the number of house elves the Black family now had, but better safe than sorry.

That done, he turned his attention back to the warding team, intrigued anew by the intricacy of the spells, the complex runes being used, and the teamwork required. Bill seemed to be simply supplying power and grounding spells, assuming his usual position of supporting the other members of his team the same way he did for curse-breaking, while a tall witch seemed to be laying the most complex spells. It didn't escape Harry's notice that Fleur was looking on from the sidelines with a wary look for the skilled older witch, but he didn't think she needed to worry on that count.

"Impressive," Severus remarked softly as the witch finished a particularly complex spell, three of her teammates grounding her spell with rune work at the same time as Bill pushed a blast of pure magic into the ground. Harry agreed just as quietly; he had never seen anything quite like it before. Bill had laid some wards around Hogwarts in the previous future, but he had been working alone and the wards had not been for repelling, only identification. This was on a whole other level.

_What must it feel like to be the supporting member of such a team?_ Harry wondered as he watched Bill wipe sweat from his forehead. It seemed like the position he himself would take up, since he had large power reserves but no knowledge of runes nor the recall needed for the complex point casting. Maybe he could try out warding sometime in the future.

Harry sighed quietly. There was still a lot to do before that future could come, but he held on to the goal of having a relaxed summer holiday with his friends and family. He considered Severus part of his family, now, and wondered whether one day they truly would be. Then he realized he was seriously considering asking a man who had known him for less than a month to marry him, and blushed bright red. Then he noticed Severus watching him with masked curiosity and blushed harder.

"Er – I just realized that tomorrow it'll be a month since I arrived in this time," he blurted out, and Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed." It was quite obvious that he knew Harry was stalling, and Harry felt himself blushing even harder. He must be completely red-faced by now.

"I'll tell you later," he mumbled, and Severus cocked his head but let it go; they could both feel curious eyes on them, and Severus smirked slightly as he turned away again. Harry ran a hand through his hair; how could he possibly ask Severus to marry him!

OoOoO

"So?" Severus asked simply when they were alone in their quarters again, and Harry knew immediately what he was asking about. _And when did I start thinking of these as our quarters?_ Harry wondered. Sure, his things were almost all still in the guest room near Gryffindor Tower, but he spent all his free time here in the dungeons.

"Er." Harry said awkwardly, feeling himself blush again. "It was just something stupid, really. Well, not stupid," he corrected himself hurriedly, "definitely not stupid. But not – well, not _not _important, either, but just-" he broke off abruptly, coloring harder. "Just something I shouldn't be considering just yet," he finished weakly, not meeting Severus's eyes.

There was a brief pause. "Does it concern me?" Severus asked, and Harry could tell from his tone that he wasn't sure whether Harry had been considering something good or bad.

"…Yes?"

"Then tell me," Severus said simply – not insisting, but not asking, either. Harry glanced up and bit his lip.

"It's that…" Harry trailed off and took a deep breath, knowing that he just had to come out and say it. Had he been sorted into Gryffindor or not?

"I was considering asking you to marry me." Severus's face was suddenly unreadably blank, and Harry winced slightly and looked away again. "I mean – I know it's not legal at the moment, so it was silly, really – but I remember in 2001 it was declared legal in the Netherlands and even if it wouldn't be recognized here it wouldn't really matter, right? I just," he flushed again, "I guess I just want to do right by you, and I know you've only known me for a month and, and it was stupid and I wasn't going to mention it, so-" suddenly he found himself cut off by an insistent mouth on his, his body crushed up against Severus's and strong hands gripping his head as Severus made every attempt at devouring his mouth. After a stunned moment Harry responded just as forcefully, knowing what Severus was expressing and needing to confirm it.

The rest of his day off was not spent very restfully.


	88. Chapter 88

CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT:

_My life is a rollercoaster ride, _Harry thought mirthlessly, absently knowing the irony of him calling his life that when he'd never been on a rollercoaster before.

However, fact was that the day before he had basically proposed to his lover, and today he was escorting his former/future wife and her sister to the Ministry of Magic. The first trial of the day would be of their parents, and Daphne didn't hide her apprehension well.

"Relax," Harry told both girls gently just before they flooed to the Ministry. "The trials really are fair, and I'm sure that you'll be able to spend the rest of the day with your parents in your own home, so don't worry. Chin up, shoulders back – ready?" Daphne took a deep breath and squared her shoulders before nodding, accepting a pinch of Floo powder from the tin he held out to her. Astoria did her best to emulate her sister, but her fear was easy to see.

Not a half hour later Harry regretted those words as he saw the girl he had once loved sitting with tears streaming down her cheeks, staring uncomprehendingly at the people she called Mum and Dad. The silencing barrier around her seat had needed to be raised as her initial reaction had been far from numb silence, but she hadn't been the only one shocked to find that the Greengrasses were not, in fact, as neutral as they had always seemed.

They had hidden it well even from their daughters, but their hatred for Muggles, half-bloods, and non-human beings was on the same level as Bellatrix Lestrange, and Harry for one was horrified to find clear comparisons between the insane Death Eater and his one-time wife's parents. He knew that neither of the Greengrass girls was at all like their parents, but he could see others eyeing them warily and knew that he'd have to make a public stance to give their moral integrity any credibility.

Harry's heart hurt for the two girls as their parents confessed with obvious satisfaction to having supplied Voldemort with anything he desired, including torture instruments and illegal potions that sounded absolutely horrifying; they had never killed anyone themselves, but only because their Lord had commanded them to keep a low profile and appear politically neutral so that they could support him without garnering any attention. Even knowing how much it must be hurting the girls to hear such things from their parents' own mouths, Harry knew that had they simply read it in the newspaper they might not have believed it; this way they knew it was the complete and utter truth.

The trial ended as it must: With lifelong incarceration for the two Purebloods. By that time Astoria was in Daphne's arms, crying into her robes while Daphne's tears had run dry. When the Aurors came to take away the elder Greengrasses, however, Daphne set Astoria aside and stood.

"Wait, please," she said, her voice somewhat hoarse and just loud enough that the Aurors heard and stopped, giving her curious looks. Daphne carefully made her way around the table she sat behind and approached her parents, giving the nearest Auror a nod as she passed him.

Her parents, now no longer under the effects of Veritaserum, tried pleading with her that they hadn't done all that, that it had been lies and they loved her, and Harry saw Daphne visibly steel herself – before slapping her father across the face with all her strength.

"How could you," she whispered, repeating the words she had screamed out earlier during the trial. "How dare you…" With tears in her eyes she turned to her mother, Harry saw the precise moment something in her broke, and he stood up as she clutched at her mother's robes and shook her, sobbing at her that how could she have been such a monster but so loving to her and Astoria, that it wasn't fair and she hated her – and then Harry was there, gently pulling her off the woman with soft words, not even sure what he was saying but abruptly Daphne was clutching to his robes instead and sobbing into his shoulder, his arms automatically coming up around her reassuringly. He continued whispering to her as her parents were led away, and a quick look at Astoria had the younger girl clambering right over the table to rush over, slamming into the two of them with her own tears.

"I'm sorry," Harry found himself saying repeatedly, not entirely sure what he was sorry for except that they'd had to hear that and that it was true to begin with. He didn't know what else to say; Daphne already knew that they'd have a home with him, but that was hollow reassurance, and not something he thought would be appropriate to mention at this point in time.

Then Augusta Longbottom was calling for order and Harry carefully detangled himself from the girls, righting them and telling them that he was sorry but they had to try to stop crying for now, giving them again the advice of "Chin up, shoulders back," with a little grimace for the echo. Both girls somehow managed to swallow their tears, though Astoria had the hiccups, and Harry raised his eyes to catch Madam Longbottom's gaze.

"Permission to escort them back to Hogwarts?"

"Please do, Lord Potter-Black," the Chief Warlock replied, a hint of compassion in her eyes for the young girls. Daphne however pulled herself together and turned to the woman herself.

"Chief Warlock Longbottom, Minister Bones, thank you for inviting us to attend this trial," she said, her voice wavering and hoarse but her words carefully enunciated. "I would like to reassure the court that neither I nor my sister share the opinions of our- our parents," she forced out, "in any way. Had we known that they had those opinions, we would have turned them in ourselves; we always believed that they had been forced into You-Kn- into Voldemort's service against their wills." She swallowed and bowed deeply. "We thank you for delivering justice appropriately." Behind her Astoria mimicked her bow, and Harry smiled sadly. He should have known that Daphne wouldn't need him to prove her moral integrity.

"It is this court's duty to serve the law, Miss Greengrass," Madam Longbottom replied with an inclination of the head. "You have my regret and condolences for the revelations of this morning, and my gratitude for your understanding. Lord Potter-Black will escort you and your sister back to Hogwarts so that you may grieve in private."

"Thank you, Chief Warlock," Daphne said, swallowing once more. "I believe the incarceration of my parents passes on the title of Lady Greengrass to me."

"That is correct," Madam Longbottom agreed gravely. "It is a great responsibility, and I suggest you visit Gringotts in the near future to secure your parents' business – the more legal aspects of it, at least."

"I will do so as soon as possible," Daphne responded, though she had paled at the mention of her parents' business, no doubt remembering the parts that had included horrifying potions and instruments. "Thank you again." She bowed once more and looked to Harry, following him mutely when he put his arm around Astoria's shoulders and led the way out of the chamber.

"That was very well said," he said softly when they were outside the chamber, leading the two girls towards the elevators. "Would you like to visit Gringotts now, or perhaps another time? I couldn't accompany you now, but I'm sure Peter Oakley – you might recognize him as the man taking care of the younger children – would be happy to accompany you."

"Not today," Daphne said, her voice just barely steady. "Please just take us to Hogwarts."

Harry just nodded and accompanied them the entire way to Hogwarts – the long way, since they couldn't floo back – only leaving again once he had seen them safely to their common room. It was with a heavy heart that he made his way back to the Ministry, figuring that none of the other trials could be as heart wrenching as the one that had just taken place. What he didn't know was that the next trial, while not heart wrenching, would be just as surprising as the Greengrass trial.

OoOoO

_The world must have turned upside down,_ Harry thought numbly as he made his way to Hogwarts once more. _The Greengrasses are evil and crazy, and the Parkinsons are secretly Muggle-lovers that became Death Eaters due to peer pressure. Maybe I'll wake up and find this was all just a crazy dream… _

Alright, so the Parkinsons weren't precisely Muggle-lovers, but they were at least neutral towards Muggles – perhaps in the way people thought of people from an allied country. They were alright, had done some good and bad things, but weren't really interesting enough to learn more about.

Certainly the Parkinsons had never been aligned with Voldemort's views, and had indeed never hurt or killed anyone under his order or otherwise, and had clearly hidden their true views just as well as the Greengrasses had, for Pansy was horrified by the revelations of the trial. Her parents went free at the end of the trial, but Pansy refused to leave with them, publicly decrying them for believing in the wrong thing and accusing them of being Muggle-lovers. Her parents had exchanged a look.

"I knew it was a bad idea to go along with Malfoy's idea of a betrothal between his son and our daughter," Lord Parkinson had said, and his wife had simply looked away with a sigh.

"Pansy," she had tried to appeal to her daughter, "Come, let us go home and discuss this in private. This is not the appropriate venue for such a talk." Pansy had of course refused, declaring that she'd live with Draco and running out, leaving her parents looking more resigned than anything.

They had also tried to have a quick talk with Harry about returning their vaults and possessions, including their house elves, and Harry had politely but firmly denied them, informing them that they would be receiving the same monthly sum as all other former Death Eaters – only two others had gone free so far – and could hire out house elves from him if they wanted help around the house but would have to contact him for the details at a later time. They had not been pleased, though were clearly aware that they had only escaped Azkaban because of his strong stance demanding fair trials, and conceded the point surprisingly easily.

Really, they had been surprisingly pleasant, if a bit stiff, and Harry wondered at the differences between them and the Greengrasses, who had seemed perfectly pleasant until it had turned out that they wanted to see all Muggles dead and considered Muggle children "animals" even while they were doting parents to Daphne and Astoria. Small wonder Harry was half-hoping that it had just been a dream.

When he reached Severus's rooms, however, he found a tense Head of House waiting for him.

"What happened today?" the man asked, walking towards Harry as soon as he stepped into the room. "The two Greengrass girls are distraught, and could only tell me that they were orphans now. Was there an assassination at the trial?"

Harry actually flinched. "I wish," he said, and couldn't even feel sorry for feeling that way despite Severus's incredulous look. With a sigh he raised his wand and used Legilimency to simply show Severus the day's trials, feeling the shock his lover couldn't hide at the revelations.

It was rare to see the Potions Master speechless, but Severus was quite clearly numb with shock as he turned and went to pour them each a glass of brandy with suspiciously steady hands. Harry thought he was most likely concentrating only on the act of pouring, trying to restore a sense of calm to his mind. Then the man downed his drink, pouring himself another before moving back to where Harry still stood and pressing the glass into his hand.

"I see," was all he said, and Harry simply nodded.

"Yes," he said, and threw back the glass, a movement Severus echoed.

Exhaling deeply, Severus looked down at the glass in his hands. "I didn't know," he admitted, and Harry realized it was less a confession and more an attempt at reassurance. Reassurance that he hadn't hidden such a thing from his lover.

"I know," Harry said. "You would have told me had you known."

Severus looked back up. "I would have."

Harry simply nodded and took Severus's glass from him, moving to put both glasses back on the table where they belonged. "I'm going to go to Gringotts to find out about the Greengrass business," he said. "I doubt I got it by right of conquest, but I owe it to Daphne. She's in no shape to deal with it herself."

"I will accompany you," Severus said, and then he was behind Harry, laying one of his cold hands on the nape of Harry's neck.

"Thank you," Harry smiled slightly, turning to give his lover a lingering kiss. "Let's go."

A/N: What a chapter! You have Moi to thank for the idea of bigoted Pureblood Greengrasses, and I threw in neutral Parkinsons to show that it really can go both ways. What will happen with Pansy now? And the two Greengrass girls? If Pansy really does refuse to live with her parents and stays with Draco, that means over the summer she'll be with all the other Death Eater children who will be learning about Muggles, but do we think she'll go along and learn about them as well? We know how stubborn that girl is… That'll definitely be interesting. I'm looking forward to it!


	89. Chapter 89

CHAPTER EIGHTY NINE:

It turned out that Harry had, in fact, claimed the Greengrass business by right of conquest. Apparently right of conquest gave you absolutely everything the defeated owned that could in any way be considered material wealth, and private-owned businesses, investments, and in some cases even the wizard's wife were counted. In fact, due to the type of marriage contract the Malfoys had signed, Narcissa was technically Harry's wife.

He was not pleased when he figured that out.

However, the fact that he did indeed own the Greengrass business simplified things. Perusing the details of the business with an unusually helpful goblin, Harry soon decided which parts he would not be keeping and arranged for Gringotts to hire competent people to take care of the other branches of the business, naming a goodly sum for the goblins' service. After that he made his way to the offices of the Daily Prophet to inform them that he was now the owner of the Greengrass business and would continue to supply valuable things like wand wood and fabric, but would most definitely not be supplying any illegal goods. He also gave a small statement about the trials of that day, saying with full honesty that Daphne had been a close friend of his in the future and that the Parkinsons had seemed quite pleasant, and that he hoped that they would stand up for themselves in the future.

Upon his return to Hogwarts he sat down and wrote Daphne a letter, thinking that this was perhaps better put into writing. It was slightly odd addressing a letter to "Lady Greengrass", but the gist of the letter was that control of the business was hers to assume when she wished, and that she and her sister would be spending the summer at Black Manor but were welcome to choose one of the Greengrass properties for themselves. He informed her on their monthly "allowance" during their school years and the increased sum they would each receive after graduation, as well as giving her a bit of advice on her new status as Lady Greengrass. He finished the letter by saying that she was welcome to come to him with any questions or issues, and signed it "Lord Harry Potter-Black".

That done, he fell into bed and curled up to Severus, seeking the warmth and comfort of his lover's embrace before falling asleep. He supposed it was fitting that the day marking a month since his arrival in his past was one that turned so many of his previous misconceptions upside down.

OoOoO

The next day he headed back to Gringotts, the visit of the previous day having reminded him of something: He was not the only one who could claim right of conquest. So he headed back to the bank before the day's trials began, and had the goblins move sums of money and deeds to properties to a few people's vaults. He wondered how Remus and Tonks, Bill and the twins, Alastor and Minerva would feel when they saw that they had large sums of money from the Death Eaters they had gone after what felt like years ago.

In fact, Harry's next stop was Grimmauld Place to have a quick talk with Remus, who he realized he hadn't bonded Fiona to yet. Sirius was still asleep when he arrived, so he took Remus with him to a Potter property he planned on giving him.

"What's all this about, Harry?" the older man asked, looking around curiously. "Not that I'm not happy to see you; it's just unexpected…"

Harry laughed slightly. "Well, first things first, then. I just was at Gringotts to transfer half of Jugson and Avery's vaults to yours, since they're yours by right of conquest. Considering how rich they were, I expect you to at least get yourself some high-quality clothing – and don't you dare protest that you don't deserve the money," he gave his father figure a warning look. "I didn't think any of their properties were ones you'd like, though, so I wanted to give you this one," Harry continued, gesturing at the rather nondescript house on the outskirts of a small town. "This is a Muggle town, so you'll have to be discreet with your magic, but now you have the funds to get the Wolfbane Potion each month, and this house is supposed to have a big cellar." He grinned at Remus's overwhelmed expression. "One more thing: I'd like to introduce you to Fiona."

As if on cue, the house elf popped into being next to Harry, looking curiously and a tiny bit apprehensively up at Remus.

"Remus, this is Fiona," Harry said, crouching down next to the diminutive being. "I'd like you to bond with her; she needs a family, and I thought you two would be good together."

Remus crouched down as well, looking at Fiona kindly but giving Harry a slightly puzzled look. "I'm not sure I need a house elf, though – won't she be terribly bored bonded to me?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't think so, but I also think it should be up to her to decide." He smiled at Fiona. "If she doesn't like being bonded to you, I've told her to let me know and we'll find something more suitable for her." He could tell that his words swept away the last of her apprehensions, and they both looked at Remus expectantly.

Remus looked back at them unsurely, but quickly crumbled. "Oh, alright," he conceded. "But if you're not happy with me you'll go right to Harry, okay? He did tell you that I'm a werewolf, right?"

Fiona nodded, visibly suppressing a shudder. "Master Harry was mentioning it, Master Remus," she replied earnestly, and Remus nodded.

"Doesn't that bother you, though?" he asked, clearly having noticed her reaction.

Fiona hesitated. "Master Harry was saying that you is very gentle and like a father to Master Harry," she said finally. "Fiona is thinking that she would be liking to help Master Remus."

Remus was clearly choked up by the thought that Harry considered him like a father, but managed to give Fiona a smile. "Then I would be happy to bond with you, Fiona," he said honestly.

The bonding itself was short, and Harry told Fiona to make sure the Potter elves taking care of this property were told that it would soon be a Lupin property instead before he reluctantly parted from Remus, who gave him a fierce hug before letting him apparate away. He had some business at the Ministry before the trials started.

OoOoO

"Kingsley," Harry greeted as he was showed into the Head of the DMLE's office. "I need to know about the man that attacked Luna Lovegood."

"Right," Kingsley replied gravely, standing to remove a file from a cabinet along the wall. "I thought you'd be by yesterday for this, but with the trials I can understand why you had other things on your mind."

Harry knew Kingsley didn't mean it that way, but it sounded rather like the man was accusing him of thinking the Greengrass business more important than Luna's life. Shaking his head slightly, he said, "Yesterday's trials ended up running pretty late and you'd been there the entire time, so I wasn't sure you'd gotten around to questioning the man. I thought it might be better if I came this morning instead."

Kingsley hummed, finding the file he was looking for and bringing it over to the desk. "Right you were, too – I had some Aurors question him, but didn't get a chance to look at the results until late last evening. Seems the man was hired to find out your fighting style in a provoked fight, preferably injuring or killing some of your friends in the process. I hear Miss Lovegood recovered without problem?"

"Only because Severus was right there to stabilize her," Harry said grimly, aware that without Severus there she would have walked away with a scar at the very least. "Do we know why he targeted Luna?"

"It seems he read up on the people known to be close to you and chose Miss Lovegood to attack because she was the most vulnerable when he walked up. The man had no orders to attack her specifically, nor did he seem to care about her – it was simply to provoke you into attacking."

Harry scowled; he hated those close to him being targeted simply in order to hurt or provoke him. "Any lead on who hired him?"

"No," Kingsley sighed, handing Harry a sheet of parchment. "Apparently this man was hired through a letter instead of in person, so not even he has any clue who he was hired by, only that he was paid good money."

Harry pulled a face as he read how much the man had been paid to "injure or kill" one of his friends. "Lovely."

"I'm sorry that I can't be of more help," Kingsley said, accepting the parchment back. "I heard that the castle grounds were warded the same day, so hopefully your friends will be safer now."

"Yeah," Harry exhaled, standing after a look at his watch. "The first trial is about to start; you're coming?"

"Of course," Kingsley said, falling into step next to Harry as they left his office. "Hopefully today won't have any other unpleasant surprises."

Harry silently agreed with that, but knew he'd have to be even more on his guard than before. If there were people being hired to simply provoke him and test his fighting capabilities, the next step would be a serious attack: either an attack by a group or assassins. And assassins meant double-checking absolutely anything he ate, drank, even touched, as well as watching out for magical and physical attacks.

He hadn't thought sitting in a courtroom all day could get any more draining, but he knew he was about to be proven wrong.

A/N: For those wondering why I've been neglecting this story: Right now, it's not so much that things are busy at work (though they will be again soon), but rather that I've been really inspired to work on other stories I started either before or after this one. (Today I spent several hours writing a story I started months before the idea for Shaping the Future was even born, and just the other day I posted a 20,000+ word story called 'The Linked Mirrors' that I encourage you to check out! I had the idea for that one long before Shaping the Future, and I'm so happy that I finally got it to paper. I even managed to make it shorter than I had feared it would become.)  
So yep! I do want to try to continue updating this story weekly, but right now my heart isn't quite in it, and I'm not going to post chapters I'm not content with. Just a heads-up ;)


	90. Chapter 90

CHAPTER NINETY:

"You are running yourself ragged," Severus said softly when Harry returned to Hogwarts that evening, the Potions Master's long fingers reaching out to cup his lover's cheek.

"I know," Harry sighed, leaning into the touch and closing his eyes. "What else can I do, though? I made a public announcement that I would attend every single trial, and you remember my oath to the Order as well as I do…"

"As a phoenix rises from the ashes, so will I work to restore Britain to a healthy state. May this Order be my witness," Severus quoted quietly.

"So mote it be," Harry whispered the response the Order had given, sealing the oath that he would do everything he could.

"And yet you cannot do everything, Harry," his lover pointed out quietly, and Harry stepped forward into Severus's embrace.

"I know, Severus – and it's not fair to you, either, but there's so much left to be done…"

Severus made a disagreeing noise. "You have already delegated much of the work to others – Minerva is working on Hogwarts along with, or perhaps in spite of, the Hogwarts Board of Governors; Madam Bones is spearheading changes throughout the Ministry, even as Madam Longbottom pursues law and order; you have made a great step in defending the rights of house elves by giving yours respectable positions and clothing, Hogwarts is safe, and Dumbledore meets his end in a week. You have done far too much for Britain already."

Harry clearly disagreed, but Severus wasn't done talking yet. "There is no need to worry about me, either – or have you forgotten that I have my own obligations to keep me occupied? You have all the best of intentions, towards Britain and towards me, and I can wait. Britain cannot. And I know that it is pointless to tell you to take a break and relax, for you will not until this situation is resolved – but you should, and will, take some precautions that mean you can let down your guard some. Wear the strongest protective artifacts you can find, hire a bodyguard, and trust someone else to keep you safe for once. Wear a ring that detects poison in food and drink – I have one if you do not – and eat without fear. Custom order an amulet that warns you if an object is a portkey. Protect yourself passively instead of dedicating all your attention to being constantly on your guard," he said intently into Harry's ear. "It is doing you no favors to be constantly on edge in this way."

Harry remained silent for a moment, then exhaled abruptly, relaxing bonelessly in Severus's arms. "You're right," he agreed softly.

"Of course I am," Severus sniffed haughtily, but Harry only managed a tired chuckle. "Come," he said gently, pressing a kiss to Harry's temple. "Let us go to bed; there will be time enough to deal with things tomorrow."

OoOoO

The newspapers the following day shocked the student body. Both major trials of the previous day were huge surprises – everyone had expected the Parkinsons to end up in Azkaban, and nobody had expected the Greengrasses to be Death Eaters, let alone true ones – and Harry was so proud of the Greengrass girls, sitting at the Slytherin table with visible emotions but their heads held high. Well, Daphne at least had her head held high, with Astoria burrowed into her side as they read the newspaper together, but alone the fact that they were in the Great Hall that morning made him more proud of them than he could say.

The mood towards the Greengrass girls seemed mostly sympathetic, too – the article made it quite clear that their parents had deceived them their entire lives and they were innocent of their parents' crimes, and the students seemed inclined to believe that. It didn't hurt that the Prophet had highlighted Harry's statement about being a close friend of Daphne's in the future as well as the fact that he had taken over the Greengrass business, ensuring that the reputable side of the business lived on.

The mood towards Pansy Parkinson, however, was not so positive. Most everyone was positively surprised by the revelations of her parents' true feelings, but with her clear stance Pansy had made herself quite unpopular. The Parkinsons had given a brief statement to the Daily Prophet saying that they were disappointed by their daughter's clear refusal to even discuss it, but didn't seem inclined to cast her from the family or bring her to order as the reporter seemed to think they should. Harry was inclined to think it someone else's problem until he remembered that Pansy had said she'd live with Draco – who was a Black and thus was Harry's responsibility. He had, of course, expected Pansy to be his responsibility after the trial anyway, but somehow he didn't think she'd want to go along with learning about Muggles.

Sighing, Harry knew that he'd have to discuss it with her – the Parkinsons had already agreed to learn about Muggles in exchange for continued use of their home and a monthly allowance, but it could get nasty if Pansy refused to accept the same deal but was financially supported by her parents. Certainly she wouldn't be allowed in Black Manor without accepting the house rules, so maybe she'd end up being her parents' problem after all.

"What is weighing on your mind now?" Severus's smooth voice intruded on his thoughts, and Harry gave his lover a smile.

"Pansy," he replied, and Severus nodded.

"She cannot enter your home without your permission," Severus pointed out, and Harry nodded.

"You're suggesting I make sure that she stays someone else's problem?"

Severus spread his hands as if to say "why should you take responsibility for someone else's problem in the first place", and Harry laughed.

"You're right," he agreed with a fond smile. "I'll write her a letter informing her as much, and one to her parents letting them know that she will not, in fact, be staying with Draco. Wonder how they'll react to that?"

Severus turned back to his breakfast without comment, appearing manifestly unconcerned about the Parkinsons, and Harry followed his example with a smile. His lover was right – let others deal with their problems.

OoOoO

Meanwhile at the Gryffindor table, Hermione was finding it hard to focus on the conversation flowing around her. She supposed it was due to her pounding heart and the cramped feeling in her stomach at the thought of what would happen once she finished eating.

Today was the 25th of March – and the Hogsmeade weekend Neville had asked her out for.

She tried to tell herself sternly that she knew Neville a lot better now, and that it would be a Hogsmeade trip very similar to the others – but fact was that it would be her first date, their first date, and she was nervous.

Hermione had tried dressing up a little, since they were allowed casual dress on the weekends, but had eventually settled on sensible clothing and a serious effort to get her hair to behave – magic never seemed to help, but eventually she had managed to recreate the curls she'd had at the Yule Ball the previous year, though tied back in a high ponytail instead of the fancy up-do she had attended the Yule Ball with. She still wasn't sure whether the boys' reactions to her look were good or bad, but Hames' big grin and thumbs-up from the Head Table had made her feel a lot better.

Then someone tapped her on the shoulder and Hermione turned, absently glad she didn't have any food in her mouth when she gasped at the breathtakingly stunning flower Neville stood holding out to her.

"Oh, it's beautiful," she breathed, reaching out hesitantly to take the white flower that seemed to glow with an inner light. "What kind is it?" Stroking a petal with a fingertip, she found it to be as silky smooth as satin, and its scent reached her nose even without her having to lean closer.

"It's a camellia," Neville said softly, an undertone of happiness to his voice; one he usually had when speaking of plants, though Hermione had found over the past week that he had the same undertone when she was impressed at him. That usually involved plants, admittedly, but his recent accomplishments in Potions class had showed her more of the boy who tended to hide from attention.

"It's perfect," she smiled delightedly up at him, deciding then that she didn't care to finish her breakfast. Holding the flower carefully in her right hand, she stood and, after stepping over the bench, slipped her other hand into Neville's, giving it a tiny squeeze at his surprise. "I'll see you later," she beamed at her seated friends before walking out of the hall with Neville.

"Have you eaten?" Hermione thought to ask only once they were in the entrance hall, and Neville blushed slightly as he replied that he hadn't.

"Sorry," Hermione apologized with a slight blush of her own, but Neville shook his head, giving her hand a tentative squeeze.

"We can get something in Hogsmeade, if you'd like – you didn't finish your breakfast either, right?" he smiled hesitantly, and she smiled back happily.

"That sounds perfect." She had a feeling her first date would be just that.

Before they stepped out into the sunshine, though, a voice had them stopping where they were.

"Harry?" Hermione asked curiously when they turned to find Hames jogging towards them. "What is it?"

"Just wanted to give you each a portkey," he said as he approached, "and remind you to keep an eye out for trouble." In his hands he held several basic chain necklaces each with a plain disk hanging from it. "I used these for the Order; they'll send out a distress signal if you put your wand to the disk and say 'help', and if you put your wand to it and say 'rescue me' it'll portkey you to Order headquarters. The Fidelius is down," he added at Hermione's questioning look. Stepping closer he slipped a chain around Hermione's neck, then repeated it for Neville.

"The only other person who'll have one of these today is Severus – I'll be at the Ministry again, and won't be able to rush to your aid should anything happen, but Severus will be there as quickly as he can. If you feel at all threatened, use it," he said intently, catching their eyes in turn. "Things can escalate quickly, and if you feel there might not be enough time for Severus to reach you, use the portkey, alright? Especially if either of you is injured, grab the other and get the hell out of there." After a final intent look he smiled. "Hopefully it won't come to that, though, so have a good time and take care of each other. Try not to worry too much," he smiled at Hermione, who was biting her lip. "You can take care of yourself, and Neville's a solid defensive type. You'll work well together. So go on," Harry turned them around and gave them a little push. "Enjoy the good weather!"

They left with an uncertain look back at him, and though he felt regret for their wary demeanors that took much of the levity away from what he knew was their first date, he knew he couldn't let them go without a word of warning. He'd have done it earlier had he thought of it, but it had been the previous night's reminder of the Order that had brought to mind the disks they had used on their missions.

"Would it not have been wiser to have them stay on the school grounds?" Severus's voice said from behind him, his arms sliding around Harry and pulling him back against his taller lover's chest. To display such affection in public he must have cast a serious notice-me-not spell on them before hugging him, Harry knew.

"Wiser, yes," he replied softly, "but despite the risks, they shouldn't have to hide from some unknown threat that isn't even after them, but me. Besides," Harry said with a wry smile, "Hermione's been in more dangerous situations."

Severus's silence agreed with him, both of them thinking of the Golden Trio confronted with an escaped convict, a werewolf, a hippogriff, a time turner and Dementors in their third year. It didn't make it any easier for Harry to let them go.

"I believe there are some things I need to purchase in Hogsmeade today," Severus said then, loosening his hold on Harry and stepping away. His fingers lingered on Harry's shoulder for a moment longer. "I will see you for dinner." With that the man left, leaving his lover behind with a far lighter heart.

"Thank you, Severus," he whispered, knowing that Severus didn't need anything from Hogsmeade and was only going because Harry was worried about his friends. The image of Severus hovering in the general area of Neville and Hermione like a menacing shadow was an extremely comforting one.

A/N: Well hello! It's been a while since the last update, huh? Sorry about that. I've been rereading the story so that I can pick up on things I mentioned once and didn't follow up on, people that need to be mentioned again, plot holes to fix… things like that! Now that I've taken thorough notes I think I'm ready to continue working on this story (though I'm currently more in the groove of another story, but there's no reason why I shouldn't work on both!). I won't make any promises about when the next chapter will be posted, but you can trust me when I say that this won't be abandoned. It's such a satisfying story to write – and read! I hope you feel the same way.  
Also, Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a good time with loved ones, delicious food, nice presents, and whatever weather you wish for. Or if you don't celebrate Christmas, then I wish you a good winter! Or summer, depending on the part of the world you're in. (This whole wishing thing is too complicated when you have an international audience that may or may not be in a position to enjoy Christmas.) Suffice to say that I hope you're all happy!


	91. Chapter 91

CHAPTER NINETY ONE:

"Severus."

"Hermione," Severus replied, eyebrows raised, but his student just smiled and held out a box to him.

"Thank you for keeping an eye on us in Hogsmeade today," the girl thanked him. "It made Neville feel awkward, but I felt a lot safer for it."

Severus just continued to look at her levelly. "There were certain items I needed to purchase in the village today. However, I will bear in mind that my presence reassures you."

"Right," Hermione grinned, still holding out the box. "In that case, I saw this and thought you might like it. Won't you invite me in?"

With a slight nod and smirk Severus accepted the box and stepped aside to let Hermione enter his quarters, following her to the seating area before the fire.

"Do you make a habit of buying gifts for your teachers, Miss Granger?" he asked mildly as he took a seat, but she just snorted at him.

"Go on, open it!" she encouraged, and Severus merely raised an eyebrow at her before complying. Inside the box was a small kit for growing your own plants for use in potions – seeds, bulbs and clippings for the most frequently used plants and flowers along with a book of instructions. Severus's eyebrows rose.

"What a Slytherin present, Hermione," he said with the tiniest of smirks. "One of the few things Longbottom would have consented to buy for me, something that may lead to a greater understanding between us, and a present that I may indeed end up using. An excellent choice."

The student didn't seem pleased by his praise, though, if her frown was anything to go buy. "I didn't make Neville buy it!" she exclaimed indignantly.

"He did not offer?" Severus responded, his eyes narrowing. Hermione just waved it aside, her frown deepening.

"He did, but I told him that I do have my own money and have no intention of being financially dependent on anyone. Frankly, it's a present from me and there's no reason why he should have even offered," she pursed her lips.

Severus sighed and passed a hand over his eyes. "Hermione, I suggest you read up on Pureblood customs before venturing into a romantic relationship with a Pureblood." She opened her mouth with an affronted look but Severus's look silenced her. "On the first date the man – or boy, in this case – is obligated to cover all his date's expenses. No exceptions. If the woman pays for anything herself, she is telling him – without needing to say so – that she is not interested in a second date. To refuse your date's money on the first date is to refuse him as a romantic partner."

Hermione was staring now, and Severus shook his head slightly. "I suggest you go apologize to Longbottom, ask him to recommend a good book or two on Pureblood customs, and suggest another 'first date' for the next Hogsmeade weekend. He may have already realized that you did not know the significance of your refusal, but a sincere apology will no doubt set his mind at ease." Hermione just nodded and stood, her thoughts clearly already miles away. Severus rather thought she had the look of someone who was trying to recall something she had read, and the student was distracted enough that she left without a parting phrase. The Potions Master just watched her go with equal parts exasperation and amusement before rising to start a small indoor garden. It was fortunate that all the plants in the kit were ones that needed no natural sunlight.

OoOoO

"Members of the Wizengamot," Augusta Longbottom raised her voice at the end of the day's second trial, "I propose that we adjourn and spend time with our families tomorrow." A ragged chorus of agreement went up among the members, and the woman nodded slightly. "We have been working tirelessly to ensure law and order, but we too are mortals and need our rest. Let us meet again on Monday at 2 PM." Agreement was quickly given, and the members of the Wizengamot left appearing thankful for the reprieve.

"You, too, should take the day off, Minister," Harry heard Madam Longbottom say to Amelia as he approached. "And I do not care to hear your reasons; you do both yourself and your duty an injustice by wearing yourself down to this state. Leave the work to your subordinates for a day." The woman swept out before Amelia could formulate a reply, and Harry smiled slightly.

"Come on, let's get some lunch and follow her advice; you know she's right," he said, picking up and handing Amelia the files she had left on her table. "What would you like to have for lunch?"

Amelia looked at him blankly for a moment before sighing and accepting her files from him. "Let's go to Muggle London," she suggested, handing the files on to her assistant. "If I'm to make an attempt at relaxing I'd rather be in a place where no one will recognize me."

Harry smiled wryly. "I can understand that. Is there a particular restaurant you're thinking of?"

"I know a rather good Chinese restaurant," Amelia volunteered as they made their way out of the courtroom, her protective detail and assistant trailing behind. "Clearbanks, once you've put my papers in order and dealt with my correspondence you're free to go home," she addressed her assistant before turning to the two Aurors. "I won't need protection in Muggle London, so once you've escorted us out of the Ministry report to Kingsley."

The lift arrived, then, and Amelia's assistant stayed on the lift when they got out at the Atrium. "Thank you, gentlemen," Amelia dismissed the Aurors before she cast a Notice-me-not charm on herself and side-along apparated Harry out of the Ministry.

They reappeared in a side alley of what Harry realized must be Chinatown – at least, it looked like it – and when Amelia started glamoring her robes to look like Muggle clothing Harry called for Dobby.

"Hey Dobby," he greeted his elf, not noticing Amelia's stare. "Could you take these back to Hogwarts for me?" Stripping out of his purple Wizengamot robes, he revealed himself to be dressed in slacks and a shirt underneath. Handing the robes to Dobby, he added, "I'll be having lunch with Amelia, then returning to Hogwarts. Could you let Severus know that I'm free all of tomorrow? And let Zipky know that I'll want to have a chat with her tomorrow about how the Black Home is coming along."

"Yes, Master Harry!" Dobby beamed, then popped away with a snap.

"Alright, I'm ready," Harry turned to Amelia, pausing at her expression. "What is it?" He looked down at himself briefly, wondering whether there was a stain on his shirt or anything.

"That was quite the uniform your house elf wore," Amelia said instead, and Harry grinned.

"Isn't it? I found a wonderful tailor, and my house elves love their uniforms – they look a lot better in them than in the rags most wizards have them wear, don't they?"

Amelia cleared her throat somewhat awkwardly, and Harry realized that she must have elves as well. "Which tailor created the outfit?" she asked, starting to walk out of the alley, and Harry fell into step next to her.

"Madam Tinkleweather," he answered happily. "She's a children's tailor, actually, but when I asked Dobby about a tailor that might be willing to create clothing for house elves he mentioned that she used to tell him he needed something nicer to wear. She's been absolutely wonderful, and even hired two of my elves; they'll have been working for her for a week on… Monday, and then we'll see if they want to continue working for her. I hope that other wizards will start dressing their elves better as well; they're really dead useful… Oh!" he exclaimed suddenly, attracting the passing attention of another pedestrian. "I forgot – I have to arrange for lessons for them! I told them that they would all learn to read, write, and do basic math at the least, so I need to follow up on that. Maybe the goblins can help me find someone – or maybe some of the Hogwarts students will be interested in earning a little bit of pocket money…" He trailed off in thought and they walked on in silence, both of them considering house elves.

"But anyway," Harry interrupted their thoughts with a smile. "How are things with you? What are you working on?"

"Mostly on reorganizing and cleaning up the Ministry," Amelia sighed and stepped into a restaurant. "It's chaotic; I didn't realize how disorganized Fudge was until I got his position. Clearbanks, my assistant, is a great help, but I need to go through all his files personally and have yet to finish; he was extraordinarily corrupt, accepting bribes from nearly anyone, and I am truly relieved that I already had a reputation of being impossible to bribe. Only two people have tried to approach me so far, and they were easily discouraged." Her dark smile suggested that she had reminded them of her former position and the fact that bribes were illegal.

"A table for two," Amelia told an approaching waiter, and before long they sat down at a polished wood table in the back corner. The restaurant wasn't overly large, and there was only one other customer who looked to be nearly done his meal, so their conversation would remain private.

"There's just so much to be done," Harry's companion sighed as she dropped her head into her hands. "I can only thank the stars that I'm in a position to get it done; I shudder to think what would have happened to us had Fudge remained in office with You- Voldemort afoot." She raised her head and peered at him. "Is that what happened in your future?"

"Yes," Harry answered promptly, but his tight expression showed that he hadn't made his peace with it yet.

"Then I am more thankful to you than I could say, Harry," Amelia said wearily, leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed. "I doubt anyone else could have ended this war so decisively."

"Dumbledore could have," Harry commented, his tone cold. Their conversation was temporarily put on hold as the waiter brought them each a menu, then Harry picked it up again. "How is he?"

"Alive," Amelia opened her eyes again. "He is clearly furious, though he tries to hide it, and magic-suppressant cuffs and spells keep him powerless and confined. Skeeter has been making great progress on her book; she believes it will be ready for print on Monday, with sales beginning on Tuesday. Typically a book needs a lot more time than that, but I gave her… a great incentive to sell the book before Dumbledore's Kiss on Friday. He is appearing frailer each day, and the mediwizards believe Snape's assessment that he will die next weekend to be correct."

Harry just nodded grimly, visibly satisfied that Skeeter's book would appear in stores before Dumbledore's death. The man had already fallen far in public opinion due to his trial and the subsequent newspaper articles concerning him, but if Skeeter brought out a book even half as good as the one she had written in the former timeline, then it would put Dumbledore at rock bottom in the public's opinion.

"Do you think he'll be able to cause any trouble before his Kiss?" he asked Amelia, and she shook her head decisively.

"He is powerless and kept a close watch on at all times. No one is allowed close to him without thorough tests of their identity, nor are they allowed any items but a provided quill and parchment; currently the only people allowed close contact with the wizard are Skeeter and the Auror who doses him with Veritaserum, and both swore magical oaths when accepting their respective jobs. I don't anticipate anything going wrong with the Kiss, either – it will happen in the same way as his trial, but with extra spells separating the public and Wizengamot seats from the court floor, and the magic-suppressant cuffs will remain on as the Kiss is administered. Dumbledore's body will then be incinerated, before his ashes are vanished so that nobody may get their hands on it." Her lips twitched slightly. "Any further security concerns?"

Harry's lips twitched in response. "I suppose not," he said, turning his attention to the menu. "So, what do you recommend I try?"

A/N: Happy 2015! "New year, new luck," as the Germans say – here's hoping we all have a fantastic year! Mine is already shaping up to be amazing, as I'm taking the entire year to work on artistic projects and fashion collections, to travel and sketch, to learn and create and expand both my portfolio and my creative abilities before finding a new job. It'll be wonderful! The job I currently hold (finishing at the end of this month) has been absolutely perfect, and I hope that I find another wonderful job for 2016. I'll probably start a blog sometime in February, so let me know if there's any interest in that!  
What are your plans for 2015? Anything special in store?


	92. Chapter 92

CHAPTER NINETY TWO:

By the time Harry and Amelia parted a number of points had been covered, including some that were quite close to Harry's heart. He felt a bit guilty for giving Amelia yet more work, but he knew some of his suggestions were important for the wizarding world's future.

A big point was that of witches and wizards under Hogwarts age – he insisted that the parents of Muggleborn children be informed immediately that their child was magical, and that the parents be given as much support as possible in raising their child. In the case that the parents should choose not to keep the child, it should go to Black Manor as the single magical orphanage in Britain. Orphaned magical children should logically also be moved from Muggle orphanages into Black Manor, where they could be with similarly gifted children.

Courses on Muggle and magical culture alike should also be available for everyone, he argued, so that there wouldn't be a new set of Death Eaters in a few decades. Integration of magical beings, also, particularly humanoid ones such as vampires and werewolves. Harry pitched a suggestion for a small department within the Ministry that would deal with werewolves: With only werewolves working in the department, charged with educating the public on their kind, distributing Wolfsbane Potion, and arranging for better integration of werewolves into wizarding society. Amelia seemed hesitant until Harry said that he would fund the department and cover the costs of such a large amount of Wolfsbane Potion. He also pointed out that Elphias Doge knew a vampire and could enquire whether they would be interested in their own department. They both agreed, however, that Goblins preferred to be separate, centaurs weren't interested in politics, and house elves wouldn't want to be equal to humans. Yet, Harry added, and Amelia neither agreed nor disagreed with him.

In retaliation, Amelia said pointedly that vigilante groups were illegal, which Harry countered by saying that had the Ministry been doing its job the Order of the Phoenix would never have been necessary, but he agreed without much argument to disband the Order after Dumbledore's execution. Deciding it might be better to switch the topic, Harry asked what changes she would like to see made to Hogwarts, and they moved on to a pleasant topic for which both of them had ideas but no obligation to see them realized. That was in Minerva's lap – and that of the Board of Governors, but since Madam Longbottom was on it and the Death Eaters weren't anymore Harry wasn't really worried. Amelia did make some interesting suggestions involving the parents, such as them being allowed to attend Quidditch matches and a Hogwarts fair where students could possibly sell things they had created in class if approved by their teachers – transfigured plushies, engraved objects, usable potions… Harry wasn't sure that would work out well, since he thought parents would most likely only buy the things their own children did and Death Eater children and orphans would feel excluded, but Amelia said that it was worth a try and that everything should be sold anonymously anyway. She seemed to think that outsiders would also be interested in buying things, particularly potions, as they would be cheaper than store-bought ones.

At any rate, they both felt like their lunch had been both enjoyable and constructive when they parted ways, and both had hope for the future.

OoOoO

**Speaker,** Medusa hissed a greeting when Harry rounded the corner to Severus's quarters.

**Medusa,** he returned with a smile. The statue had taken to initiating short conversations lately, something that never failed to put Harry in a good mood. **How has your day been?**

**Innnteresting, **the snake replied in a sort of drawl. **The bushy-haired lioness visited the Potions Master, and a blonde snake hesitated here for a time before leaving again. She seemed to wish to speak to the Potions Master but lacked the courage to. **

Harry frowned slightly. **Could you describe the snake in more detail? I would deliver your message to Severus. **

The snake seemed pleased at that, if his tone was anything to go by; most likely he didn't appreciate being unable to inform Severus himself. **The snake had dark blonde, straight hair… blue eyes… She was here before, accompanied by the Potions Master one night but leaving alone. She was crying then. **

**Daphne? **Harry asked in surprise. As far as he knew, she, Draco, and Blaise were the only Slytherins who had recently been in Severus's personal quarters. **I will inform Severus immediately; it may be something of importance,** he told the snake, and with a pleased hiss the statue slid aside.

"Severus?" Harry called as he walked into the living room. "Are you here?"

"I will be there shortly," came Severus's voice from within his lab, and Harry went to fetch some robes while he waited; it could take Severus several minutes to finish, and it was chilly in the castle.

"What is it?" the man asked as he walked out of his lab, stooping to give Harry a kiss when he reached him.

"Medusa says that Daphne spent some time hesitating before your door today," Harry explained with a gesture at the doorway. "He says it looked like she wanted to speak with you."

Severus frowned. "Indeed? Perhaps I shall approach her after dinner." He wouldn't normally approach a student without good reason – let them come to him if it's important – but Greengrass was in a difficult situation and perhaps in need of guidance. Besides, Severus was honest enough with himself to admit that the fact she was his lover's former wife most likely influenced his decision.

Harry just smiled and slid closer to Severus, resting his head against the taller man's shoulder. "You got my message?"

"I did," the man confirmed, holding Harry loosely in his arms. "What were you thinking of doing with your day off?"

"I thought I might leave it up to you," Harry raised his head and stretched to give Severus a languid kiss. "I'm all yours," he murmured against his lover's lips and was rewarded by the darkening of Severus's eyes.

"Indeed?" the man murmured, holding Harry more firmly now. "Then I shall have to think of something suitable to occupy you…" His heated gaze and firm hands spoke of the occupation he thought suitable – and Harry couldn't have agreed more.

OoOoO

That evening they had dinner in their quarters instead of joining the school in the Great Hall, and the food tasted all the better for having worked up an appetite prior to eating. Their conversation was lighthearted, staying away from the heavy topics of politics and the future, and Severus reluctantly left to find Greengrass only once he could put it off no longer.

"I require the presence of Daphne Greengrass," he informed the stretch of wall hiding the entrance to the Slytherin dorms. He only went in for the most extreme of circumstances, believing that the common room was a space where the students should be on their own, without fear of a teacher intruding.

A few minutes later the wall slid open and his student stepped out, outwardly composed but the circles under her eyes betraying her fatigue.

"Lady Greengrass," Severus inclined his head, catching the tiny wince the girl gave at the title before she inclined her head similarly.

"Professor Snape," she replied softly. "How can I help you?"

"The statue guarding the entrance to my quarters informed me that you appeared to wish to talk to me earlier today," Severus said blandly. "What was it that brought you to my door?"

Greengrass seemed surprised, then rueful. Clearly she realized she should have expected the statue to report back to him – not that it had, as Severus couldn't understand Parseltongue and the magic linking him to the statue only did so much – and nodded before saying, "Actually, it was Lord Potter-Black I wanted to talk to, but since no one seems to know where he lives…"

Severus hummed, turning to lead her to his quarters. "Lord Potter-Black has guest quarters near Gryffindor Tower, but he is rarely to be found there. He spends much of his time at the Ministry, these days."

"Of course," Greengrass agreed, a slightly strained note to her voice at the reminder of her parents' trial. "He's with you at the moment, Professor?" she enquired when they passed the staircase that would have taken them up to the entrance hall.

"He is," Severus confirmed, revealing nothing else, and the rest of the way proceeded in silence. They entered the Potions Master's quarters to find Harry on the couch reading a potions journal Severus had left on the table, and he looked up when they walked in.

"Da- Lady Greengrass," Harry greeted, his expression going from pleasantly surprised to slightly pained as he realized he wasn't entitled to call his former wife by her first name.

"Lord Potter-Black," the girl returned, and hesitated slightly before saying softly, "You are welcome to call me by my given name." She was visibly taken aback by Harry's delighted and relieved grin, and even more so when he immediately returned the offer. "Harry, then," she said hesitantly.

"Would you prefer I leave you to your discussion?" Severus said smoothly before an awkward silence could fall.

"You are welcome to stay, Professor," Daphne replied, giving him a tiny smile. "However, I don't know that it will be of much interest to you…"

Severus gave her a searching look, taking in her stance and expression before replying. "I believe I will remain, then," he said, turning to take a seat on the armchair nearest Harry. Looking at his student as she sat on the other end of the couch from Harry, he saw that her posture had relaxed slightly from the uncertain and nervous stance she had unconsciously channeled previously. The brief look Harry shot him showed that he hadn't missed it, either, and Severus wondered whether Harry was adept at reading body language or simply experienced when it came to his future wife's expressions.

"I wanted to ask you about our future and the Greengrass business," Daphne began, her gaze level on Harry though her posture spoke of nerves. "You spoke previously of Black Manor and a set allowance, but I wished to enquire again about the details."

Harry's lips twitched slightly – it was a very Slytherin way to say that she hadn't paid attention to the details the last time, believing they wouldn't apply to her – but schooled his features into a more serious expression before replying. Explaining the details of the Black Home, he outlined his plans for a summer intensive course to Muggles that was obligatory for all residents of the Black Home, the ground rules and hierarchy – and she was obviously surprised that the house elves were to be given a status and respect just under Narcissa Black and Peter Oakley – and the amount of money each child would get transferred directly into their own account each month. She clearly didn't think it was anywhere near enough money, but didn't protest once Harry explained that upon graduation they would receive a far greater sum, and that they could continue to live at Black Manor until they turned twenty.

By the time they reached that age, Harry said, they would have had two years since graduation to find a job and potential housing – keeping in mind that she and Astoria could choose one of the Greengrass properties to live in – and unless they spent their allowance frivolously, enough savings to support themselves for some time. To his relief, Daphne agreed that it seemed fair, and changed the topic to that of her parents' business.

Rising, Harry went to get the notes he had taken while discussing that topic with the goblins, and briefed her on what he had discovered about the various branches of the business, as well as which ones he had kept and which he had immediately dropped.

"I had the goblins find suitable employees to continue the business, and you can assume control of it when you graduate from Hogwarts, if you want to. You'll have to read up on business management and such if you want to successfully take charge of it, though," he warned her. "Right now the goblins are dealing with all that, but they charge more than you'd be able to afford."

"I understand," Daphne acknowledged the point with a nod. "Thank you for taking charge of the business for us."

"Of course," Harry smiled. "I did it for the other private-owned businesses as well – they're mostly small shops, but this way other children will also have the option to take over their parents' line of work once they're old enough."

Daphne looked intrigued, but Severus was the one to ask whose parents had businesses.

"Several of the families of children under Hogwarts age," Harry replied. "One of the younger Ravenclaws' parents owned the luggage shop on Diagon Alley; a Slytherin's parents supported an owl service business, and a lot of Death Eaters had shares in a variety of companies, so the children will be getting those when they come of age." Harry still felt guilty about taking their money and more, but they'd be getting a fair amount back, and he _was_ now the one giving them all food, shelter, an education, and hopefully a better future. A lot of them would probably disagree with the last point.

"Does that answer all your questions, Lady Greengrass?" Severus intruded on his thoughts, clearly deciding this conversation had gone on long enough, and Daphne nodded.

"Yes, thank you. But please, Professor – call me Miss Greengrass." She was plainly uncomfortable with being called Lady Greengrass, but Severus gave her shrewd look.

"You would give up the advantage it gives you over the other students? Are there no other Slytherins lording their superior status over their housemates?"

Daphne hesitated at that. "Nott," she acknowledged reluctantly, and Severus nodded.

"Do not give up an advantage so readily. However, I will call you Miss Greengrass in private if you wish."

The girl looked grateful for that small concession, and thoughtful about how it changed her status within her House. She had read up about the rules concerning emancipated students, of course, and knew that she had a lot more rights now than she'd had previously, but hadn't considered how it put her above her classmates. Others, like Nott, had, but somehow she hadn't seen that as affecting her.

"Thank you, Professor; Harry," she said quietly as she stood. "I will think on what you have told me."

"Do so," Severus agreed as he stood.

"And let Astoria know that she's welcome to talk to me if she has any questions as well," Harry added with a smile. Daphne just nodded and made her farewells before leaving.

"About time," Severus grumbled, grabbing Harry and pulling him up off the couch. "That was near interminable."

"Only because you've heard it all before," Harry countered, but Severus scowled at him.

"So had she," he informed his lover curtly. "Had she paid closer attention then, this would have not been necessary. Did you not also send her a letter concerning the business?"

"I did," Harry conceded, and Severus scowled harder.

"Well, then. That was an entirely superfluous conversation."

Harry's lips twitched at that. "Not everyone has your powers of retention, dear," he drawled in a fair imitation of Severus, and the other man paused before narrowing his eyes at him. Harry chose that as his cue to beat a hasty retreat.


	93. Chapter 93

CHAPTER NINETY THREE:

Harry woke first the next day. That was an unusual occurrence, as despite Severus's dislike for mornings the man had an extremely precise internal clock. The Potions Master always set an alarm in the off chance that he should oversleep, but Harry had yet to witness it going off.

This morning, however, Severus was still fast asleep when Harry awoke, and the younger man took the chance to watch his lover as he slept.

Severus looked peaceful in sleep, less guarded, and Harry could see just how tired his lover was and knew it was because of Harry's nightmares that the older man wasn't getting enough rest. He felt guilty for it, but Severus wouldn't hear of him spending his nights somewhere else, and for that he was thankful. He continued to share one good and bad memory with Severus each night – either before going to sleep or after a nightmare, depending on whether or not they had sex that night – and he felt lighter each time they went through the little ritual. Sharing the burden was helping him, but he couldn't help but worry that it was burdening Severus. It was true that there was no one else who would understand so completely, but it didn't seem fair to burden Severus with atrocities that he hadn't been forced to live through.

Even so, Harry couldn't be anything but thankful that Severus was such a possessive person. For he was: Most people would consider his help selfless, for giving up his rest, putting up with Harry's obligations without complaint, accepting Harry's friends into his home and his life… but Harry knew better. Severus was an intrinsically possessive person. A realist, also, which was why he accepted Harry's obligations and Harry's friends – though alright, the latter was surely also partly because he was also a rather lonely person…

Harry smiled at that. Severus was complicated, that was all. And that suited him perfectly.

Possessive enough that he wouldn't ever let Harry go, enough of a realist to know there were things Harry needed to do, mature enough to accept that there were other people Harry might like to spend his time with, and caring enough to help Harry any way he could… _How did I get so lucky,_ Harry wondered, taking in the features that had seemed deeply unattractive to him as a child but now seemed nothing less than distinguished. _I just hope I can be what he needs, too._

He wanted to reach out and touch Severus's face, but he knew nothing would wake Severus quicker than that, and the man needed his rest. So, with a pensive yet happy sigh, Harry sank further into Severus's embrace and considered how he could do right by his lover while Severus slumbered on.

Harry didn't realize that later, after he had fallen asleep again, Severus woke and watched his sleeping lover for a time, wondering how he could possibly pay him back for all the light he had brought into his life. For the first time he had a loving relationship, friendship and respect from Harry's friends, his own students, and wizarding Britain at large, and a very bright future ahead. Reaching out to touch Harry's face – a touch that did not wake the younger man – Severus wondered how he had been so fortunate.

OoOoO

Sunday was, in Harry's opinion, a perfect day. He lazed around in bed with Severus for hours, dozing, cuddling and talking, then made them a quick lunch in Severus's little kitchen. They ate in front of the fireplace, Harry sprawled on the rug while Severus relaxed in an armchair. When Harry decided to join Severus in the armchair they got a bit… distracted, returning to eat their cold food some time later. They both settled on the couch at that point.

Leaning back into Severus's arms, feeling more content and relaxed than he had in a while, Harry called Zipky and talked with the little elf about how the Black Home was coming along. There were quite a few children at the manor, and Zipky said they all seemed happy to be there – she certainly was! She did assure him that no other elves but herself, Reggy and Lurch were taking care of the children (he wanted the children to grow up with proper caretakers, not an endless rotation of people they'd never remember the names of), and reluctantly told him when prompted that Mistress Narcissa was indeed trying to upstage Master Peter, but that the three house elves would come to Harry if there were any problems. Harry told her he trusted her judgement, which elated the house elf, and she left with them all in high spirits.

Well, Severus was more reserved than that, but he seemed pleased.

Harry decided he might as well call Winky as well and find out how Sirius was doing, and though Winky didn't seem to consider it entirely appropriate to report to Harry concerning her main master (as she was bonded to Sirius, not Harry), it seemed Harry asked only appropriate questions, because she answered them without reservation. And so Harry found out that Sirius had grasped at the chance to live somewhere other than Grimmauld Place, which Winky seemed to think helped him stay grounded in the present since the townhouse had so many unpleasant memories, and continued to see the mind healer daily. He was also seeing Amelia, but Winky was very tight-lipped on that topic so Harry decided if he really wanted to know how the two of them were getting along he'd ask Amelia.

He did, however, ask her how she was doing, whether she was happy and had or needed any company, and when she hesitated he told her that she was welcome to ask any of the Black elves to join her, and by her reservedly happy look Harry figured she was a bit lonely. It didn't sound like Sirius called on her often, so she'd most likely appreciate the company.

Abruptly she bowed and popped away, and both wizards realized that she had most likely been called away by Sirius. Harry laughed and leaned back further into Severus's warmth, tipping back his head to accept an upside-down kiss from his lover.

"That's all my business for the day dealt with," he said teasingly. "I'm all yours…"

"Ah? I suffered from the impression that you were all mine regardless of whether you were occupied otherwise or not," Severus drawled, running a long finger along Harry's jaw. Harry just smiled and caught his lover's lips in his again, the two of them locked in a kiss of sweet contentment. It spoke of promise for the future, contentment in the moment, and emotions more meaningful than lust.

Yes, it was a perfect day.

A/N: Well, hello! It's been some time, and this is a very short update – mainly because I need to go over my notes again, and the next chapter will have lots of fun (including the long-awaited hot chocolate!), and I wanted to finally post this! It was only missing three sentences, but there's been a lot happening lately. I'd like to promise again that this will not be abandoned – things are just busy and complicated, and I'm still trying to organize my life. Thank you for sticking with me!


	94. Chapter 94

CHAPTER NINETY FOUR:

"What's up with the tattoo, anyway?"

Harry let his head loll to the side to look at his younger self. He and Severus had headed outside for some fresh air and ended up lying in the grass together – something Severus had clearly felt awkward doing at first, but had gradually relaxed into – and attracted a small group of students.

"Ah – this?" Harry pulled his right hand out from under his head and held the arm aloft; it was warm in the sun, so he'd rolled up his sleeve, and the tattoo of a lion was clearly visible.

"Well," he said with a slight smile, "I got a twofold tattoo sometime after Dumbledore died, to represent… well, my personality, I suppose." Harry picked up his wand with his left hand and tapped his wrist, holding it up so that the others could see the tattoo of a snake.

"Not only Gryffindor, not only Slytherin – cunning and bravery, selflessness and self-preservation, plans and spontaneous action; there's a need for all of that in war, especially in a leader." His expression was bittersweet as he touched a finger to the tattoo, but he continued speaking evenly. "Sometimes I wonder whether it's a bad idea to sort us into Houses – all of us should naturally have more than one defining trait, and as soon as we're sorted we conform to the expectations of the House. Had I been sorted into Ravenclaw I would have most likely started acting like a bookworm right away, just to fit in. I'd probably be smarter for it," the others echoed his laugh.

"Besides, the best teams have a variety of players – though that sometimes works out even within the Houses. I mean, look at us three," he grinned, gesturing at Harry, Hermione and Ron. The trio exchanged grins, though Hermione shook her head ruefully.

"But yeah, that's why I have this tattoo," Harry said, putting away his wand and pillowing his head on his arms again. Deciding that was enough of that topic, he observed, "It's a lovely day, isn't it?" It really was, too – sunny and warm, with puffy white clouds drifting in the blue sky.

"The Grindelumps are coming," Luna remarked dreamily, and Harry smiled.

"Lunch, then?" He sat upright, looking down at Severus with a soft smile and ignoring the students' bewilderment.

"They say there's ice cream for dessert today," Luna hummed as she climbed down from the tree she'd perched in. "I do love ice cream. I hope they have vanilla."

"Don't they always?" Harry smiled as he brushed off his robes, giving Severus a hand up from the grass.

"Well, one time they had raspberry ice cream," Luna remarked absently, appearing to stroke thin air. "That was nice, too."

Harry hummed and joined her, reaching out to pet whatever creature she was petting, but his hand went right through it.

"I'm always disappointed when I can't pet them," Harry sighed, placing an arm around Luna's shoulders instead, and she leaned her head against him as she stroked the invisible creature.

"Oh, I can't either," she remarked dreamily. "But even imaginary things need affection."

"That makes sense," Harry said, and reached out again to pet the air the same way Luna was. "Do they mind that I can't see them?"

"Grindelumps don't," Luna hummed, "but the Lump-legged Urgles get quite cross when their warnings aren't heeded. They wonder why they bother at all."

Harry sighed slightly. "I can understand that. We're lucky you can see them, you know?"

"Of course," the blonde agreed lightly. "Will you sit with Severus for lunch?"

Unfazed by the abrupt change of topic, Harry craned his neck to look at Severus. "I don't know; we haven't made any plans for the day. It's up to Severus, I guess."

"I do not currently feel a need to eat," the Potions Master replied blandly. "You are welcome to join your friends for lunch; I would return to my lab to take advantage of your absence," he smirked.

Harry laughed. "That reminds me, actually – when I first got back to this time I found a scroll I meant to give you again. I think I'll wait till Tuesday to give it to you," he sauntered over to Severus and wrapped his arms around the taller man's neck, "because otherwise you won't pay me any attention." He pouted up at his lover.

"Oh?" Severus raised his eyebrows. "Perhaps you should go fetch it and spend the rest of your day off with your friends," he suggested smoothly, the intrigued glint in his eye belying his disinterested expression. "I can think of better things to do with my time than entertain a bunch of teenagers."

Harry laughed again and drew closer to Severus, pressing his body up against the taller man. "But they're such fun teenagers," he grinned teasingly. "Besides," he leaned up to whisper in Severus's ear, "I promised you the day…"

Severus finally moved his hands to rest lightly on Harry's hips. "While I am flattered, the truth is that I have a potion to prepare for class tomorrow. You would be better served using that time to enjoy the company of your friends. It should not take me very long; you might consider inviting Luna, at least, over for a cup of hot chocolate once you have finished your lunch."

"You're sure?" Harry pulled back slightly, and Severus nodded.

"I would have prepared the potion yesterday had I known in advance that you would have the day off."

Harry smiled. "All right then. I'll meet you back in your quarters after lunch?"

"Our quarters," Severus corrected, pressing a kiss to Harry's jaw before pulling away. "Luna, Hermione, Weasley, Potter, Longbottom," he said curtly before striding away to the castle, leaving Harry looking after him with a crooked smile.

"Our quarters," Harry whispered to himself.

"I wonder if I could keep a Kimdinger in a jar," Luna mused beside him, startling a laugh out of the young man.

"You're welcome to try," he grinned at her, offering her his arm and leading the way back to the castle.

OoOoO

Lunch was a fun affair – Luna joined the Gryffindors at their table, and Harry ended up spending most of the meal discussing recipes and the weather with the thin blonde. Ginny joined in on their conversation when she arrived, her boyfriend mainly focusing on his meal after shaking Harry's hand, and though she was used to Luna's oddities Harry realized that Ginny had never understood that Luna's creatures actually existed. She seemed rather taken aback when Harry made references to strange creatures himself.

"Look at all the Hantvents," Luna remarked absently as she gazed up at the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall.

"Any chance the Dimpvel Piskies might make a reappearance tomorrow?" Harry asked, following Luna's gaze to the clouds that were beginning to move more briskly in a far-away wind. "I've got tomorrow morning off, you see."

Luna hummed pensively. "You'll probably want to stay inside," she advised, and Harry nodded reluctantly.

"I knew the sunny weather was too good to last," he grumbled. Noticing Ginny's odd look, he explained, "Hantvents are cold breezes or winds, and Dimpvel Piskies are… what, sunbeams?" Harry asked Luna, who hummed in confirmation. "Right. We were discussing the weather."

"I… see," Ginny said slowly, shooting a look up at the ceiling. "That explains a lot." Harry just smiled and asked Luna if she'd like another scoop of ice cream.

OoOoO

Harry could hear faint sounds of industry from Severus's private lab as he prepared two mugs of hot chocolate – one for himself, and one for Luna. He had opted against inviting any of his other friends, feeling that this should be a moment shared between the two of them, and Luna's delighted smile at being invited for a cup of hot chocolate had been heart-warming.

"Dimpvel Piskies, vanilla ice cream, and hot chocolate? Today is going to be a simply perfect day, isn't it? Those are so rare," she had said happily, and Harry smiled at the memory of her happiness as he slipped a stick of cinnamon into each of the mugs.

"Alright, here we go!" the young lord said cheerfully as he carried the mugs into the living room, finding Luna sitting on the flagstone in front of the fire hugging her legs and gazing into the flames. At his call her head shot up, delight dancing in her eyes, and with a bound she was on her feet and beside him.

"Oh," she exhaled, a luminous smile spreading across her face. "It looks _perfect_."

"I aim to please," Harry replied fondly, handing her one of the mugs and sitting down. It was a fairly simple recipe, really – once you knew what Luna liked! The 'special' hot chocolate was a sweetened dark cocoa powder stirred into hot milk, topped off with whipped cream that had a shot of rum and both white and vanilla sugar whipped into it, and finished with a dusting of chocolate flakes and a cinnamon stick. It was incredibly rich and sweet – and not something to be enjoyed except on rare occasions.

Luna closed her eyes and inhaled deeply over her mug, the familiar expression tugging at Harry's heartstrings. Oh, how he had missed Luna.

Then silver eyes were on his, silky hair swinging forward as Luna stooped to ghost a kiss over his cheek. "Thank you, Harry," she whispered, straightening with a tinkling laugh. "How wonderful!" she exclaimed, twirling briefly in place before carefully perching on the edge of the couch and licking a chocolate flake off the top of the mug. "But how did you know the recipe?"

Harry laughed at that, remembering the very strange afternoon spent with Xenophilius Lovegood so long ago. "Your Dad taught me," he informed Luna merrily. "He seemed to think I was going to marry you!" Harry had no clue how Xeno had arrived at that conclusion, but he _had_ learned a lot about Luna that afternoon, so he hadn't protested much. He'd never told Daphne, though – she wouldn't have appreciated the man's assumption.

"I see," Luna smiled, her eyes twinkling as she turned her attention back to her mug. Rather than explain why her father might have thought she would marry Harry, she just smiled that mischievous smile and lapped at her whipped cream in true Luna fashion. It was with a fond smile that Harry bent over his mug and used his own tongue to lick up the chocolate flakes. He knew how Luna liked her hot chocolate.

A/N: It's been WAY too long since my last update! I'm so sorry to have kept you all waiting. I haven't been writing much lately, but whenever I did I worked on other stories, and maybe I'll start posting those… Not sure, since they're unfinished as well! I hate leaving people hanging.  
But we finally had the hot chocolate scene! I thought there would be more to it than this, but in the end this sweet little scene seemed more appropriate than a long and odd conversation. I love that Luna licks at the whipped cream! Incidentally, this is the way my grandmother makes whipped cream – with a shot of rum, and a good helping of "Vanillinzucker", or vanilla sugar in English. It's absolutely delicious, and sinfully rich. I love it, and thought that so would Luna! In fact, I had quite a bit of hot chocolate and whipped cream this Easter weekend, though no cinnamon. Hmmm, now I want this hot chocolate…  
I hope to bring you another update soon, but it might be another two weeks or so. I'll be out of the country for a week, and there are things to do before and after that! See you again soon.  
Love,  
CHARM


	95. Chapter 95

CHAPTER NINETY FIVE:

As Luna had cautioned, Monday morning was cool and grey, and Harry followed her advice and stayed inside. He felt quite rested after the lazy Sunday he had spent with Severus and his friends, and it was with renewed energy that Harry sat down to write up a rough schedule of the near future, knowing that things were gradually coming to a close and that he should make himself an overview of what still needed to happen before he skipped off to another country.

"Let's see," he mused, setting quill to paper and jotting down that day's date: Monday, 27th March. Rather than scheduling the day, he simply wrote down the expected happenings and appointments of the day, which were a meeting with Madam Tinkleweather, Nick and Mick, and Death Eater trials starting at 2 PM.

The next few days he left blank but for a scribble reading 'DE trials', then remembered what Amelia had said about Rita Skeeter's book being published. In all caps, he wrote down under Tuesday 'THE LIFE AND LIES OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE – BUY!'. He looked forward to reading it and seeing how it compared to the original.

For Friday the 31st he wrote 'DUMBLEDORE EXECUTION', along with a few notes to remind himself to pick up protective artifacts from his vaults and cover himself in spells leading up to the execution. He planned on being as prepared as he could before walking into that situation.

In fact, he resolved to swing by Gringotts and poke around for suitable artifacts once he finished his schedule, knowing that it would take a while but that he was unlikely to have another morning off before the execution. His lips twitched as he imagined himself on the day: Bedecked in glittering jewels and heavily enchanted armor, twitchy and bellowing "Constant vigilance!" at anyone who dared come close. He rather felt Moody would be proud – or derisive of the jewelry. Hey, it wasn't his fault that Purebloods liked to enchant jewelry to protect them, right?

That decided, he roughly outlined April and May, writing only 'HOLIDAY!' in June. Oh, was he looking forward to that! The beginning of the summer holidays marked the end of his responsibilities, and Severus'. It meant an extended vacation and time spent only with people he chose to, and only the responsibility of checking in on Black Manor from time to time. Yes, he was looking forward to it.

Shaking his head to clear the goofy smile from it, Harry sternly told himself to concentrate on the present first. "Protection, Dumbledore, disband Order, house elves, funding for werewolf department at Ministry," he muttered as he wrote. "Speak with Madam Longbottom about Neville," he added as an afterthought. He might also have to take Neville aside and tell him that if he thought Hermione didn't know something, he should speak up – Severus had told him with a rather wicked smirk about Hermione's faux pas during their first date. Harry wondered briefly whether it was even his place to interfere in their relationship, but decided with a small shake of his head that they were both his friends and that Neville had to know not to let Hermione walk all over him. She did have the tendency to.

Stiffening abruptly, Harry remembered someone he had completely forgotten about since he had first arrived in this time. "Greyback," he hissed, hate clearly audible in his voice. Standing and pacing angrily, he asked himself how he could have forgotten the werewolf. The monster had been only too happy to swell Voldemort's ranks with forcefully turned Muggles, brainwashing the newly turned werewolves into believing the wizards were trying to kill them – and Greyback had also found a grisly pleasure in attacking random wizards and disfiguring, turning or killing them, with Bill Weasley being one of the few victims who remained alive and unturned, albeit with harsh welts covering his face. Harry had taken great satisfaction in killing the monster with a fiery whip, scoring the werewolf all over before ending his life.

Breathing deeply, Harry stalked back over to the desk and picked up his quill, writing himself a terse reminder to have Kingsley deal with it. It was up to the Aurors to do clean-up, now.

Leaving a note for Severus should he come down while Harry was gone, the young lord dropped the quill, grabbed an over robe, and stalked out of the room. Maybe going to Gringotts would take care of his frustration.

OoOoO

It was an even surlier Lord Potter who returned to Hogwarts some hours later, and Severus took one good look at him before asking drily, "Are you attempting to replace me as the ill-tempered dungeon bat?"

"Maybe," Harry answered sullenly, dropping into the seat next to Severus at the Head Table. "Two attempts on my life, and all the good protective artifacts in my vaults are hideously gaudy. Either that, or rings, and I refuse to wear that many. These two are already enough," he scowled, gesturing at the plain rings on either pointer finger. "Mild spell resistance, especially to disarming and stunning spells, and a spell boost," Harry explained at Severus's questioning look, gesturing at either ring. Severus's eyebrows rose.

"The ring increases the potency of your spells?"

Harry nodded, touching the ring on his right hand. "It's a handy one, alright. The other one's just as useful, though."

Judging by Severus's slow nod, the man agreed. "Were you able to find anything of use in your vaults? Do you speak only of the Potter and Black vaults, or also of the other vaults you… acquired?"

Harry quirked a little smile at his lover's phrasing. "Just the Potter and Black vaults. I might ask the goblins for a list of useful things in the other vaults, but that'll take them longer than I have to spare. I did find some things, though," he said, briefly touching the silver filigree choker around his neck and pulling a chain out from under his shirt. "The choker is supposed to counteract all poisons I swallow, and the pendant is a portkey that can punch through any set of wards, even those at the Ministry or here at Hogwarts. Repeated use, apparently, so that could be useful." Grimacing slightly, he pulled several items from a pocket and placed them on the table, precious gems and diamonds winking up at them.

"So gaudy," Harry sighed. "Powerful, though. Shields, protection against poison, magical boosts… This tiara supposedly has pure magic stored in each gem, but I doubt I'll ever need that much magic at my disposal – and I refuse to wear a tiara. Imagine what the newspapers would say."

Severus chuckled at Harry's expression of disgust, but reached out to nudge a ring. "And this?"

"Mental protection, apparently," Harry replied, picking up the ring. "I was told the stones are significant, but I'm clueless when it comes to stones."

"Quartz?" Severus volunteered, touching a pale pink stone. Harry shrugged.

"I don't know. It doesn't really matter, though, since I know Occlumency. I only took it because I thought Luna might find it pretty."

"I see," Severus nodded, turning back to his food. "You return to the Ministry after lunch?"

"Yeah," Harry sighed, pocketing the artifacts and helping himself to a sandwich. "Oh, by the way – Amelia said Rita's book is scheduled to go on sale tomorrow. I'll pick one up for you." The glint in the glance they shared said it all.

A/N: To the Guest reviewer – I'm so glad that this story is helping you with the stress you're facing, and please know that my thoughts are with you. All the best to you, your sister, and your niece – and, of course, your aunt. Take the time to appreciate the little things around you; my (recently deceased) uncle would take note when a day was particularly beautiful, and it so happened that the day we received news of his passing was a beautiful summer day. It didn't lessen the pain, but it's something we really should take the time to notice.

On to the actual chapter notes! One of my favorite reviewers asked what was still left in terms of plot, and I realized that with the spaced-out updates and in-story break even I had lost sight of what still had to happen. Thank goodness I have text documents with not only the timeline, but little notes and reminders! I figured that it would do Harry just as much good to figure out what still needs to happen, thus the little scheduling session at the beginning of the chapter. There really isn't that much left! Only about a week (in the story) of important things, then it's mainly less important things like relationships and such. Probably things that can be summarized after the fact, like revenge on the Dursleys, Harry's relationship with Severus being made public (maybe, maybe not), etc. Let me know if you feel there's anything missing, or you've noticed any loose ends! I want to include at least one scene/mention of the main house elves – Fiona taking care of Remus during/after the full moon, Skip showing up with singed ears and a happy expression, an overheard conversation of Hermione telling Neville about hitherto-unknown details about house elves… Those'll either pop up in between more serious action, or maybe I'll write a separate oneshot?  
Anywho. See you next chapter!


	96. Chapter 96

CHAPTER NINETY SIX:

A hush fell over the Wizengamot chamber when Harry walked in, and it was hard to keep from rolling his eyes. He knew he was an important figure in the wizarding world, but the wary and respectful hush got old very quickly.

Nodding to Amelia and Sirius and bowing slightly to Madam Longbottom, Harry made his way to his seat and sat down. He was just a spectator today, just one of the many people who had turned up to see Dumbledore's execution in person. Only members of the Wizengamot, Heads of Office and press representatives were allowed in the hall, but along with the large number of Aurors on duty it made for a rather full courtroom.

Settling back and listening in on the conversations around him, Harry was secretly pleased at the displeased and angry undertones he heard. Rita's book had been an instant hit, people queuing the whole length of Diagon Alley to purchase a book – Harry had found to his pleased surprise that Rita had thought ahead and sent him a signed edition, and he had just skimmed the tome before handing it on to Severus. Rita really did do great work, even under such extreme pressure.

Now, three days later, everyone had read the book and was gathered for the execution of the man who had come across as nothing less than insane in Rita's book. Another hush fell over the courtroom, and Harry leaned forward to see who had gotten the same reaction from the hall as he had – only to grimace when he saw a Dementor being led into the room. A flattering comparison.

When Dumbledore was led into the room, on the other hand, chaos erupted. Everyone seemed to have something to scream at the bowed wizard being dragged in by a team of Aurors, Harry sitting calmly in the midst of vitriol and recriminations.

"Silence!" Madam Longbottom's voice cracked through the room, a grudging silence falling with many disgruntled mutters. "Sit and bear witness," the elderly witch ordered, imposing order on the room.

"We are gathered here today to witness the execution of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, former Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock, and Supreme Mugwump. Tried for charges too numerous to list and found guilty of the highest crimes by this august body, his wand is to be snapped, he is to be administered the Dementor's Kiss and subsequently incinerated, his ashes vanished and no grave erected. We have shown this to be a just punishment, but I would have you join me in agreeing that it should be so."

"So mote it be," the entire hall joined in, speaking as a single chorus of voices. Harry was reminded of the oath he had sworn before the Order and allowed a tiny smile to touch his lips at the thought that he had fulfilled that oath.

Augusta Longbottom nodded gravely. "Kingsley Shacklebolt, as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement it is your duty to carry out the punishment. Escort the prisoner to the Dementor's Corner."

There was no sign of Kingsley's former allegiance to Dumbledore in the tall man's solid grip on the dying wizard's arm. Like a rag doll Dumbledore was hauled, unprotesting and blank, to the corner in which the Dementor waited – and slung inside by the stone-faced Head of the DMLE. Several people in the press corner shrieked as the Dementor swooped down upon the frail wizard, reaching out and lowering its face to Dumbledore's. Harry wondered whether anyone other than him had ever seen a Dementor's face before.

There was an unearthly rattling sound, a whoosh like air through a tunnel, and Dumbledore fell limply to the floor, open eyes unseeing. Without a word Kingsley drew Dumbledore's wand from within his robes and cast a spell that incinerated the body, vanishing the ashes and snapping the wand with a resounding crack before returning to his position silently.

Harry felt a profound sense of rightness – Dumbledore was dead and gone, the last Dark Lord removed from the country, and he only now realized how much Dumbledore's continued presence had weighed on him, regardless of the fact that he had trusted Amelia to keep the man incapacitated. He was gone, and all was right in Harry's world.

Everyone else seemed far too shocked to move, but Harry stood easily once Madam Longbottom declared the session finished. Walking down and ignoring the numb gazes staring blankly at the Dementor's Corner, Harry went and clapped Shacklebolt on the upper arm. He didn't say anything – for what would have been appropriate? – but Kingsley seemed to accept his gesture in the way he meant it. Nodding to Madam Longbottom and giving Amelia a little wave, Harry sighed slightly as he moved towards the exit. It seemed he hadn't needed the extra protective artifacts after all, he thought as he slipped off the gaudy rings and bracelet he had put on earlier.

"It seems so anticlimactic, again," a voice muttered to him as he left the courtroom, and he gave Amelia an even look.

"It's the way it should be," he said lowly. "He didn't deserve a big battle with many casualties, and neither did Voldemort. It's much better this way."

"Oh, I agree," Amelia said, falling in next to him as he made his way up to the Atrium "Still – usually you lose at least a few Aurors when bringing in a criminal, and those aren't even the powerful wizards. I think about it and can't quite believe that the two most powerful wizards of our time were executed without bloodshed."

Harry's expression tightened at that. "Not without bloodshed," he said shortly, and a heavy silence fell between them. He had lost everyone before managing to kill Voldemort, even if they were still alive here. So many lives had been sacrificed to Dumbledore's games before he'd managed to come back in time and give him the death he deserved.

When they reached the Atrium Amelia stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "This is it, then," she said. "The last Death Eater trial was yesterday, so with today's execution you don't have any reason to come here anymore."

"Except for the attempts on my life," Harry interrupted her with a dark mutter, and she blinked.

"Ah. Well, yes. There is that."

Harry sighed. "Don't worry, it isn't an issue. To be honest, after having Voldemort trying to kill me all my life the assassins are pathetically easy to deal with." Her expression at that was rather entertaining, but Harry's mood was too dark to laugh. "If Minerva manages to organize that parents' visiting day at Hogwarts I expect a whole bunch of Aurors at the castle. I'm done with the whole political and martial stuff; I've already called an Order meeting for tomorrow, so you won't have to worry about vigilante groups anymore. I'll hang around until the summer, deal with a few personal things, and then I'm leaving. We're thinking France."

"France is a nice country," Amelia offered when Harry stopped talking. "I'll see you before then, though – we'll get lunch again or something."

"Sounds good," Harry agreed, managing a tiny smile. Deciding that was quite enough and he needed Severus, he spun on his heel and apparated out before the media could catch him. That was something he could definitely do without.

Trudging up the path to Hogwarts, Harry wondered if he could interrupt Severus's class. Suddenly he felt weary, as though he had nothing left in life to work for. His greatest enemies were finished, wizarding Britain was on the path towards restoration, and he had no great goals left. No crushing responsibilities to occupy his every waking hour. When was the last time he'd had no madmen trying to kill him?

A spell splashed harmlessly against his shield, and Harry sighed as his overpowered stunner took out the masked assailant. Alright, so he still had people trying to kill him, but it was like swatting flies after spending so many years caught up in intricate plots thought up by ruthless Dark Lords. He hadn't been joking when he'd told Amelia it was pathetically easy to deal with these assassins. Sending a Patronus to Amelia about the stunned wizard, Harry continued up the path to Hogwarts for several steps before he froze.

With the new wards, that assassin shouldn't have been able to get onto the Hogwarts grounds.

Turning back, Harry hit the prone figure with another stunner before jogging over and tugging off the mask covering the wizard's face. His eyes darkened at the features he exposed.

"Malfoy," he hissed. Seriously – hadn't Severus cautioned the student not to attack Harry? Frankly, he'd thought Malfoy – oops, Black – would go after Hermione or Neville, not attack him directly. Frowning, Harry poked the unconscious boy with his wand. "Polyjuice Potion?" he mused aloud. It just didn't make any sense for Malfoy – damn it, Black – to attack him like this. The boy had always been a terrible Slytherin, but this attack didn't even have any kind of plan behind it. And Narcissa must have warned Draco not to attack him, too.

Just then two Aurors jogged into view, and Harry stood with a sigh.

"Assassination attempt," he told them shortly. "Probably Polyjuice Potion; I don't think Draco Black is really foolish enough to attack me out in the open like this. I can check at the castle whether he's in a class right now." The two Aurors nodded with awed respect, and Harry sighed inwardly before nodding and walking away. Well, at least now he had a good excuse to interrupt Severus's class.

Upon reaching the wooden door, Harry didn't hesitate before rapping on the door, only waiting for the call to enter before doing so. His eyebrows rose slightly when he saw which class was there.

"Someone with your face just attacked me," he informed Draco Black blandly. "The Aurors have the perpetrator and will probably want to hear your alibi. Just to be thorough – Severus, can you confirm that this Draco Black is the real one?"

Severus took one long look at his student before looking back at Harry. "He is." Harry accepted the statement without question. If Severus said this Draco was the real one, then he was.

"Can you cancel the remainder of your classes for the day?"

Severus's eyes narrowed slightly. "There is a N.E.W.T. class I cannot miss later today. Is it urgent?"

Harry shrugged minutely. "No." He could tell that Severus was torn between being there for his lover and fulfilling his duty as Potions Master and shook his head, annoyed at himself. "Sorry – forget it. I'm feeling a lack of enemies today." There was a choked sound from the Slytherin side of the room that Harry ignored.

"I see," Severus said, and Harry saw that he really did. "The execution went smoothly, then?"

"Yeah," Harry ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "Amelia thought it was a bit anticlimactic. Have you ever seen the face of a Dementor before?" he asked abruptly.

The Potions Master's face grew slightly pinched. "I have not."

"Good. Unpleasant sight." Harry shuddered. "Anyway – sorry for interrupting. I told the Aurors I'd check that Malf- ugh, _Black_, was here. I'll see you later." Turning and closing the door behind him, Harry sent another Patronus to the DMLE and headed for Severus's quarters. Not even lunchtime and he had no clue what to do with himself. He could pester Amelia about setting up that werewolf department in the Ministry, he supposed, and the full moon was in only four days so he should see about organizing Wolfsbane Potion for Remus, at least, but he felt so very… purposeless. Greeting Medusa listlessly, he headed straight for the bedroom and crawled under the blankets. Maybe he'd just nap. It wasn't like anyone would miss him anyway.

OoOoO

He woke up when Severus pressed a kiss to his head and untangled himself from him, slipping out of bed. The man must have joined him after he'd fallen asleep, Harry realized with a rush of warmth.

"Thank you," he mumbled drowsily, and Severus's face softened.

"Of course," the older wizard said, reaching out a hand to touch his hair briefly before turning and leaving to teach his N.E.W.T. class. It was with a smile that Harry closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

A/N: You won't believe this (I'm not sure I can), but: Only one chapter left! That's it. After exactly 11 months, this fic has found its end! (I was tempted to make it a round year, but then I'd be leaving you hanging for another month and that seemed unfair.) I could have extended this out for several chapters still, but there really wasn't a point when I could summarize it so neatly. I'll post some oneshots concerning Harry/Daphne, Hermione/Neville, the house elves, Amelia/Sirius, the Black House and more, but I decided I really can't expect myself to cram all that in this fic still. It's the reason it's taken me this long to write an update: I just thought there was so much left to write about, but the main storyline really only had another point or two and that was it! So I finally just sat down and wrote the bare bones, thinking I could flesh them out if I still wanted to, and then actually felt rather pleased with the bones as they were. So here you have it: The end of Shaping the Future. It's been quite the ride! Thank you so much for all your follows, faves, and incredible reviews – you've been so wonderful. I love you all to bits! If you haven't yet, follow me so that you get notifications when I post my oneshots and next long story. I have four long ones in the works and one of them is nearly finished, so it'll be up soon! Thank you again for all the love you've showed this story.


	97. Chapter 97

CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN:

"Harry," Minerva McGonagall smiled at him, and he smiled back happily.

"Minerva." Stepping forward, he clasped her hand in his. "How've you been?"

"Well, thank you," the Headmistress of Hogwarts gave her usual answer. "And you?"

"Busy," Harry laughed, letting her hand go and moving to stand next to her.

"Yes, I hear you've been in Egypt," the woman raised an inquiring eyebrow at Harry's companion.

"Only took four years for him to agree to go there," Harry grumbled, but his lover ignored him with the ease of long practice.

"Minerva," Severus Snape shook her hand briefly. "I knew I was right to veto Egypt all those years ago. Our next destination is Sweden – the weather will be far more agreeable there, I'm sure."

Harry muttered something under his breath and Minerva cracked another smile. "Quite right, Severus. I believe you take turns in deciding where to go next?"

Severus inclined his head, moving to stand next to his lover, close enough to touch, and looked out over the annual Hogwarts Fair. "Indeed. It has proven an interesting and fair decision." They stood on the front steps of the castle, watching the busy stalls and milling people spread out before them.

Minerva turned a fond eye out over the Hogwarts grounds herself. "I hear you made great progress during your time in Egypt," she said lightly, and saw her former colleague incline his head slightly.

"The Parseltongue Potion is nearing its completion, I believe," the Potions Master confirmed. "I require an ingredient from the Swedish Shortsnout."

Harry smiled happily, leaning slightly into his taller lover as the former colleagues caught up after several months without contact. He returned to Great Britain every now and then to check up on Black Manor and tended to visit friends while in the general area, but Severus rarely joined him on those trips. Harry had insisted they go to Hogwarts when Minerva debuted the first Hogwarts Fair, and now, three years on, he saw Astoria Greengrass standing among the other seventh years selling their graduating projects. She'd seemed very proud of her Ancient Runes project and was looking forward to experimenting with Muggle electronics in the summer holidays.

She, more than all other orphans at Black Manor, had taken to the Muggle world like a duck to water, dragging Draco Black along in her enthusiasm. After all, the two were dating, and Harry had been amazed at Draco's change of heart once the Pureblood came to the realization that Muggles weren't the beasts his father had made them out to be. Harry was pretty sure that Draco's short stint working in the Muggle world after graduation had been Astoria's idea, though.

Blond hair glinted in the sunlight and caught his eye, Draco Black leading Daphne Greengrass and Harry Junior through the crowd in search of his girlfriend. Harry wasn't quite sure how his younger counterpart and Daphne had gotten together, in the end, but he suspected Hermione of matchmaking. Not that he was complaining, especially when he could see how happy Daphne and 'Jarry' were together. Wrapping an arm around his own lover's waist, he searched the crowd for Hermione. If experience proved right, she should be… Yep.

A fond smile tugged at Harry's lips as he watched Hermione pick a leaf from Neville Longbottom's hair while the wizard poked around in the Herbology section. According to him, there was a very talented student graduating this year whose graduating project was a new type of magical plant that Neville wanted to get his hands on; judging by the other people rooting around, the shy herbologist had competition.

"Harry," a dreamy voice interrupted his musings, and he spun with a delighted grin to grab Luna Lovegood in a hug.

"Luna!" he exclaimed, twirling her around with a laugh. "It's been so long!" They rarely saw each other, since they tended to travel to different parts of the world, but they exchanged letters the most regularly of all Harry's friends.

"You're wanted in the dueling area," Luna smiled up to him, squeezing him close in a brief hug. "The Zimps say there's a few good duelers there this year."

"Oh?" Harry asked interestedly, letting Luna take his hand and lead him off. "I learned a few new curses in Egypt and haven't gotten to use them yet…"

"Professor Flitwick will like that," the sprightly young woman said pleasantly. "He always says that the other contestants use boring spells." The dueling competition had started up as part of the Hogwarts Fair, and anyone of age could take part. Harry had tried to stay out of it, feeling it wouldn't be for him, but Professor Flitwick had cornered him that first year and cajoled him into it. The diminutive professor had been a challenge, too, but Harry's combat experience had overpowered the dueling champion's skill, and now they squared off against each other every year. Harry and Severus dueled against each other wherever they went, but they were so familiar with each other by now that their duels were more like dances than actual fights, so Harry took advantage of his yearly duel with the half-goblin to try out all the new spells he'd learned over the past year.

Severus watched his younger lover fondly as Lovegood led him off to the dueling area, knowing that from this vantage point he'd have a decent view of the duel his lover was sure to have with Filius. He preferred to stay outside the bustle of the fair, apart from the many people milling around, but he didn't think he'd ever get used to the number of people who approached him during the fair. His last few months as a Hogwarts professor had achieved what years at the same post hadn't: The respect of his students, and now even students he'd never taught but who had heard of him approached him with compliments on his newest creations, samples of their own work, or even simply to pay their respects. It had been disconcerting the first year, but now Severus felt strangely content each time someone came up to him.

"I see your fan club approaching," Minerva interrupted his thoughts teasingly, and Severus looked over to where this year's batch of N.E.W.T. Potions students were walking up with vials and scrolls of parchment, come to ask his opinion on their graduating projects. It had become something of a custom among the graduating students to seek his approval, and each year he was careful to mention the most promising students to whichever contacts of his he thought most suitable. After all, he had done so much to stunt the growth of Potions development in Great Britain while under Dumbledore's influence that he really felt he had to do something to make up for it, no matter how small.

"I'll just leave you to it," Minerva excused herself, watching with a shrewd eye as her students began their dance around Severus. She couldn't help but think the change in him astounding – the Severus Snape she had once known would never have allowed students to mill around him, no matter what the reason, but this one gave each student his full attention and ensured they found themselves brought into the fold of potioneers if they had the talent. It was a rite of passage, and Severus handled it with more grace and tact than she would have once expected of him.

Sweeping her gaze over the Hogwarts grounds, she let a content smile rest on her lips as she took in the sight of her students, both current and past, enjoying the fine summer day. One or two waved at her, and she had loosened up enough over the past few years to wave back, reveling in the sight of little children gaping up at the castle they would go to school in one day.

Turning her gaze over to the dueling area, she felt a bittersweet emotion grip her at the sight of a young wizard holding his own against Filius Flitwick. So young, and yet…

She stood there watching the duel for several long moments before rousing herself and casting one last glance at the group of aspiring potioneers before descending into the fair. Britain had come a long way, and it was thanks to the two inspiring figures surrounded by younger witches and wizards aspiring to be like them.

"The best teachers are those who inspire," Minerva whispered to herself with a secret smile, and turned herself over to the bustle of her school. Those two were better teachers than she ever was, and she was deeply grateful for it.

Meanwhile, on a tower of Hogwarts three figures grinned excitedly as they set up the fireworks they had developed for their shop, the smallest one hopping around in anticipation.

"Shame it's not dark enough yet," one twin grinned, and Skip pouted adorably.

"But shouldn't we test one now, just to make sure we've set up in a good spot?" the other twin grinned back conspiratorially, and his two accomplices smirked or beamed depending on their nature.

"This one!" Skip pointed decidedly at one large tube, and both twins nodded with identical expressions of mock gravity.

"Of course. If you would do the honors," George swept a bow, and Fred dramatically stuffed his fingers in his ears. Skip fussily cleared her throat and smoothed out her WWW outfit before raising one hand.

"Bombs away," she said clearly before snapping her fingers, the firework exploding out over the Hogwarts grounds in a huge shower of sparks forming two gigantic words:

-,`THE END´,-


End file.
